Image courtesy of Heritage at Old Town PropCo LLC
Update: Monday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.
At the Nov. 13 City Council Public Hearing, the council voted unanimously to overturn the Board of Architectural Review's (BAR) decision to deny a Certificate of Appropriateness for the Heritage project.
That means the project will be moving forward, bringing hundreds of new housing units to the southern Old Town neighborhood.
Members of the public, some in support of the project and many in opposition, and the project applicant, as represented by attorney Cathy Puskar, spoke for nearly two hours before the vote. Following the testimony, council member Del Pepper, quickly made a motion to overturn the BAR's decision and approve the Certificate of Appropriateness, subject to the following four conditions, as recommended by city staff in their report:
"1. The applicant work with staff to determine the final location of all wall penetrations and that they be located so that they do not span from one material to another.
2. The applicant work with staff to revise the design for the northernmost townhouse in Block1 facing South Alfred Street so that it is similar to the adjacent townhouses.
3. The applicant revise the design for the entrances on the South Alfred Street and Columbus Street sides of Block 2 to minimize the size of the proposed sidelights and transoms.
4. The applicant modify the three sided bays on the west side of Block 2 to provide greater articulation to the trim and make the proposed windows compatible with the adjacent punched windows."
Original article posted on Friday, Nov. 12 at 7:12 a.m.
The Heritage project is continuing to cause controversy, nine months after City Council approved redevelopment of the housing site located in South West Old Town.
The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) has held several meetings since then to decide whether or not to the project will receive a Certificate of Appropriateness. During the BAR’s most recent meeting on Oct. 20, the board voted 5-2 to deny the Certificate of Appropriateness for the project at 900 Wolfe St., 450 South Patrick St., 431 South Columbus St. and 416 South Alfred St.
Board members who voted in opposition to the project maintained that the proposed design was too large for the historic district where it is located and is not compatible with nearby historic structures.
The applicant behind the Heritage redevelopment has filed an appeal of the BAR’s decision, arguing that the BAR was outside its purview. which only applies to the part of the total project that falls within the Old and Historic District. They also argue that the board made its decision on factors beyond the Zoning Ordinance and that the applicant has worked hard to ensure that the buildings are congruous with their historic surroundings. Most importantly, the applicant argues that the project is compatible with the City’s goals and plans, which prioritize the increase of affordable housing.
At Saturday’s Public Hearing, City Council will decide to affirm, reverse or modify the BAR’s decision to deny the Certificate of Appropriateness. City staff recommend that City Council reverse the BAR’s decision with a few minor changes to the design.
Despite this, many residents who live near the Heritage strongly oppose the scale and design of the project and worry that it will cause existing traffic concerns to worsen. Residents have submitted 25 pages of letters against the project, and more are likely to speak at Saturday’s meeting. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 13.
