Planned Project for 618 S. Main site of the former Fox Tent & Awning, Ivory Photo, Delux Drapery and Overature Audio recommended by staff and Planning Commission after January 19, 2012 meeting.

Per the November 30, 2011 application to the City (available per eTRAKIT): A proposal to demolish two existing structures and construct a 7-story residential building containing 190 apartment units, 121 underground parking spaces and 65 bicycle parking spaces. Planned project approval is requested to modify the building height limit of 60 feet to allow a portion of the building to be 85 feet from average grade.

This property is zoned D2 after the Ann Arbor Discovering Downtown (A2D2) process. D2 designates a buffer from the densest category, D1, and neighborhoods. This zoning is already established. In general D2 zoning specifies a structure of sixty feet in height and some 170,000 square feet based on the parcel size. This location is considered a downtown gateway with an industrial feel per the A2D2 designations. An apartment building for young professionals is one of the desired uses identified during A2D2. Zoning allows underground parking with additional height provisions possible for utilities, water table, etc.

Planned projects are specifically addressed in the City Code at Chapter 57 and at 5:70 which provides standards for approval. Essentially, a planned project allows flexibility in building placement and height where greater open space, more set back, better energy conservation and other deemed public benefits are proposed. (http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=11782&stateId=22&stateName=Michigan).

The parcels are outside the Old West Side Historic District and do not lie within a floodway or floodplain per current FEMA information. However, allowance has been made for the relatively high water table at the site in formulating the building height desired to accommodate two levels of parking on the first stories.

The current plans shift the building to the Main Street side of the lots. A shadow study favorably compared results with that obtained under the D2 zoning.

Parking of about twice that which is required is proposed along with other amenities coming out of the citizen and Design Review Board meetings.

Citizen meetings have been held on location three times. The first occurred November 11 and was attended by approximately 60 people. The second took place November 22 and was the Citizen Participation Meeting. This second meeting followed the Design Review Board session on Tuesday, November 16. The last meeting was held on site on January 18, 2012 with approximately two dozen in attendance to view updates to the building facade and grounds. Old West Side Board members attended these meetings. In addition, the development team led by Bob White and Dan Ketelaar met with four Old West Side Board members to walk through the proposal on October 18, 2011 so that a summary could be available in the November newsletter.

The comments from the Design Review Board and other materials are available at eTRAKIT (http://etrakit.a2gov.org/etrakit2/Search.aspx?grp=project&activityNo=DR11-003)

Note regarding the 2011 HOMES TOUR: SPONSORS with our sincere thanks: Ann Arbor Real Estate Brokerage of Prudential Snyder & Company, Chad Pratt Painting, Bank of Ann Arbor, Edward Surovell Realtors, Norton's Flowers, and Washtenaw Dairy.

General Information: The Old West Side is an historic neighborhood whose architecture, streetscape, history, and environment are especially characteristic of 19th century midwestern America. The non-profit Old West Side Association was formed in 1967 to promote neighborhood conservation. The Old West Side Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.