Thursday, April 20, 2006
Kingsley Lane Featured in the Ann Arbor News
Mayor urges caution on building projects
N. Main developer says precedent already has been set
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
BY TOM GANTERT
News Staff Reporter
With a new set of development guidelines still being worked out, Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje says the city needs to be cautious as it deals with a surge of proposals to bring taller buildings downtown.
While the nine- to 14-story buildings might fit in some areas of downtown, they don't make sense in others, Hieftje said. Most of the projects are residential condos, or a mixture of residential, office and retail, and fall in line with the city's desire to bring more people to live downtown.
"We are in a sensitive period right now,'' Hieftje said. "People are bringing a lot of proposals to the city and we do not yet have a new plan in place. I want us to be very careful here.''
Advertisement
For instance, the mayor said, he is OK with plans for the 10-story Ashley Terrace on Huron and Ashley streets and the nine-story Kingsley Lane on Ashley and Kingsley streets.
But, Hieftje said, The Gallery, a proposed 11-story project on North Main Street near Kerrytown on the site of the old St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, is too tall for that part of downtown, which he said is a key entrance to the city.
That doesn't sit well with developer Michael J. Concannon. He said the city has already set legal precedence allowing taller buildings, such as the 14- and 12-story towers for the proposed William Station on the site of the old YMCA building.
"You can't pass a 11-story building for one guy and then say, 'We don't like your 11-story building,''' Concannon said.
The project would include a mixed-use residential building as high as 11 stories that would include 100 condominium units. It would also include an adjoining four-story building facing North Fourth Avenue. That would have retail on the first floor and 18-20 residential lofts. It would include four levels of underground parking.
The brewing controversy highlights an interesting battle the city may face as it tries to pick and choose where tall buildings will fit in the downtown area. While the mayor opposes The Gallery at 11 stories, he went along two weeks ago when the City Council approved developer Peter Allen's proposal for a nine-story condo building on Kingsley Lane, just a couple of blocks west of Concannon's project. Hieftje said that building doesn't stick out nearly as much as The Gallery and it is in a place that isn't a gateway to the city.
Mark Wyckoff, president of the Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. in Lansing and considered an expert on Michigan zoning, said courts have allowed municipalities that freedom.
"The community has to draw the line somewhere,'' Wyckoff said. "There has to be a rationale basis for drawing the line. It can't be arbitrary. The courts tend to let the municipalities make those decisions without interference.''
For nearly three years, Hieftje has said there are places in Ann Arbor that are OK for taller buildings - places like Huron Street and some portions of William Street.
Hieftje said he went to the proposed site of The Gallery at 414 N. Main Street and surveyed the surrounding area. He said it is right next to a residential neighborhood and is several blocks north of Huron Street.
Advertisement
"I think it is too tall,'' Hieftje said. " ... I would be more comfortable with something four to six stories.''
Concannon said it's not possible to build a project that size and still provide the 224 underground parking spaces, something he said has great value to the city. He said Kerrytown would have free access to 44 parking spaces after business hours.
He also said the project has the support of the city's Planning Commission, which approved it by a 6-2 vote, and the Kerrytown District Board, which represents a collection of businesses and a handful of residents.
Keith Orr, owner of the Aut Bar and a member of the Kerrytown District Board, said they didn't like the original design, which he described as a big block. The design was changed to a nine-story structure with a two-story penthouse on top. There were also concerns about the traffic flow, and the developer changed the design by moving the entrance.
"I appreciate the responsiveness to the community concerns,'' Orr said. "My preference would be something smaller. It's larger than I would do, but given the responsiveness, the design is something I think I can live with.''
Hieftje and Christine Crockett, president of the Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association, said the city plans don't support a building that tall.
The Downtown Plan, approved in 1988, limits building heights to three to four stories in that area because it borders a neighborhood, city staff said.
The downtown plan is in the process of being updated following the recommendations of an urban planning firm, hired by the city last year. The city is in the process of reviewing just what will be adopted from the report compiled by Calthorpe Associates.
The consultant firm's recommendations of building height for the North Main/Kerrytown area was three to five stories. The report also allowed for additional stories if the developer met certain community goals, such as underground parking and affordable housing.
Concannon said his project could go higher than 11 stories under Calthorpe's incentive plan.
That site has become a focal point for building-height debates in the past two years.
In 2004, the Toll Brothers proposed 14-story and nine-story towers there for a project called the North Main Condominiums. The Planning Commission voted 8-0 to table it. The Toll Brothers pulled out.
There are several other major projects under way or proposed for downtown. That includes the 10-story Washington Terrace and the nine-story Metro 202 on opposite corners of East Washington and Division streets; the Liberty Lofts in the old Eaton factory on Liberty and First streets; and the five-story Loft 322 condominiums on Liberty Street, next to Seva restaurant. The 10-story Glen Ann Place was approved by the City Council and the Planning Commission but rejected by the Historic District Commission. Glen Ann Place is located on Glen Avenue between Catherine and Ann streets, just outside of what is considered downtown.
Tom Gantert can be reached at tgantert@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6701.
<< Home