CC WORKSESSION 11111985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-4- Commissioner Jones commented that to squeeze townhomes or single family residences • into that site would certainly result in the loss of all the amenities such as land- scaping and water areas planned for this project, which he would personally vigorously oppose. The proposed plans for the new rental project were displayed side by side with the plans for the original condominium and Mr. Tushie pointed out that the two buildings would retain the original five and eight story heights. Each building would be constructed with 150 units and an enclosed level of parking under each building with a ratio of .9 spaces provided per unit. This .project would also satisfy what is perceived to be a senior preference, to live above grade, and would provide more parking than is .normally needed for senior housing but which, the architect said, St. Anthony buyers seem to prefer. The developers had added 33,000 square foot of resident-geared commercial space to the new proposal and Mr. Tushie indicated he perceived the parking which had been provided for in front of the building should be more than adequate to provide for the overflow and the commercial . The architect pointed out the grassy areas which had been retained with this proposal and said the amenities included the retention of the original water features with some relocation of the holding pond. He said he believed the plans from a conceppual and site standpoint had been really well laid out to leave lots of open space and still permit all the activities which were proposed. Commissioner Madden expressed his concerns about the inclusion of commercial in the • building, recalling that the original goal of the Kenzie Terrace Study group, of which he had been a member, had been to eliminate what was then perceived to be unneeded commercial space in this area so the remaining commercial could be upgraded to a viable shopping center. Mr. Tushie pointed out that the area occupied by the City-';s liquor operation alone nearly 20,000 square feet and indicated the 33,000 square feet of commercial to be added to this project would be geared to only serving the residents in the apartments and not towards the displacement of businesses in the other shopping center. He said a market rate restaurant might be most appropriate in -that space since the planners had learned from other projects they have been involved in, that seniors seem to prefer restaurant rather than a cafeteria type atmosphere in their community spaces. In the Woodlake project Arkell is just completing in Richfield, the pro- spective buyers have indicated they would consider the roof plaz4, the developers have been able to provide, as their own little gathering area and, Mr. Tushie said, a visit to Woodlake Point, which is 52% sold out, should indicate something about the quality and lifestyle the developers are capable of providing. Councilmember Ranallo said he saw the necessity for the developers to mount a good reselling of the new project to the original Kenzie Terrace Task Force, especially to convince them that the proposed commercial would not be competing with the existing businesses in the adjacent shopping area. Councilmember Enrooth suggested aggressive merchants from that area would probably be vying to move to this project. Commissioner Madden said it would probably be correct to assume that with all the new people living in the project, merchants would be attracted to the new commercial area, but he was still skeptical about the reaction to creating a new shopping center to compete with • the adjacent one which now has so many empty stores.