2002-90 AMENDING RESIDENCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - ROOSEVELT SCHOOL APARTMENTS - 701 WEST GRAND AVENUE

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Excerpts from October 3, 2002 City Plan Commission Minutes Cal. No. 02-48 Petition of FINLAY PROPERTIES to amend the R-6 Planned Unit ' Development at 701 WEST GRAND AVENiJE. ''i Mr. Van Steenhuyse presented the recommendation of staff: The history of this property was briefly reviewed. The original plan approved in March 2001 allowed 42 apartment units in the school building and 33 town homes. The plan was amended in August 2001 and again(approved administratively) in November 2001. The project has not progressed since last November. However, the developer has decided to move forward with the redevelopment. They have submitted a new site plan and new architectural elevations. The new plan shows a total of 30 town home units. In addition, the number of apartment units has been adjusted to 45. Therefore, the revised plan shows a total of 75 total units, one more than the most recent previously-approved plans. Mr. Van Steenhuyse noted that the plan exceeds the parking requirements for multifamily uses. Each townhouse has two parking spaces: one within the garage and one driveway space. In addition, there are 111 surface parking spaces, for a total of 171 spaces. Based on the unit count and the number of bedrooms, only 132 spaces are required. The petitioners have also submitted a landscape plan for the site. This project predates the new Zoning Ordinance. The new plan shows a significantly greater number of plants, especially shade trees. These include ash, oaks,lindens, maples and black gum trees. This plan generally conforms to the new landscape requirements. Staff would like to see additional landscaping near the ends of some of the townhouse buildings. Regarding the architectural design, Mr. Van Steenhuyse explained that the petition originally contained new architectural elevations that were inappropriate for the project and the neighborhood. This design was suburban in nature and radically different from the previously-approved architectural design. The petitioners have submitted new elevations,which have been placed at each Commissioner's place. The new design picks up some of the architectural elements of the school and utilizes brick in an appropriate manner. Staff's only concern is the windowless end walls of the buildings that back up to Monroe. The ends of these buildings are prominent from Grand and Monroe and should have windows. Staff had originally recommended that the Plan Commission table this item until the architectural design issues could be resolved. However, since the new elevations are generally acceptable, staff recommends that the revised PUD be approved, subject to the following:. a. The architectural elevations shall be revised to show windows in the end units at the south end of 1225 North Monroe and the north end of 1275 North Monroe. b. Additional landscaping along the south end of the 1225 North Monroe building and the west end of 620 East Leafland shall be shown on the landscape plan.