PL MINUTES 12021985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-4- 1 Greg Gustafson, Vice President of META Limited Operating Partnership, 7400 Metro 2 Boulevard, Edina, developers of the Kenzington, spoke in favor of the proposal , 3 indicating META shared Arkell 's conclusion that it would not be prudent to attempt 4 another condominium project- under the prevailing market conditions. He said he 5 believed the rental project would be very complementary to the Kenzington and the 6 neighborhood. The developer indicated META viewed the proposed commercial as 7 complementary to the whole area. 8 9 Joe Schluender, 2708 - 27th Avenue N.E. , questioned the developers about the to structural construction of the Kenzington, indicating he perceived both projects 11 would be developed in like manner. He was concerned.'whether the "two inch strips 12 in the walls could actually hold up the floors, including the ones which have 13 to support cars" . Mr. Tushie assured Mr. Schluender that what he saw had been a 14 common installation method designed and certified by structural engineers and 15 used for years for precast walls. 16 17 When the Chair asked Mr. Barnhardt why Minneapolis was so concerned about whether 18 the new project would -be senior rental or not, he told her the Minneapolis 19 residents who would be neighbors to the project had been very comfortable when -- _ 20 they first heard the project was going to be condominiums and now perceived the 21 impact of senior rentals would be very similar to condominiums because the _ 2 2 occupants would probably be. the type of persons who had always taken good care of 2 3' their own properties and took pride in their neighborhoods, which might or might 24 not be true of straight rental occupants. 25 26 Mrs. Fung-Teing of the Mei-Wah Restaurant, 2524 Harding Street, was present but • 27 did not speak. 28 29 There was no one present who spoke against the changes and the hearing was closed 30 at 8:25 P.M. for Commission input towards a motion to the Council . 31 32 Commissioner Bjorklund commented that, even if you took half of Wilson Street 33 away from the site total of 415,000 square feet, the density would be very low 34 compared to some of the R-4 zoning in Minneapolis. However, although he thought 35 the provision of underground parking was "great" he found only 16 parking places 36 in front of each of the two buildings to be really tight even for seniors, and he 37 perceived providing commercial in the residential area would make it "detached, 38 disjointed, and completely isolated, from the other commercial area", perceiving 39 the seniors on the other side of Kenzie Terrace would have to cross two senior 40 properties .to get to the new commercial , perhaps creating traffic hazards in the 41 process. Although he had to agree with Commissioner Bowerman that the P.U.D. ? 42 for that area had been designed to prevent people from walking around private 43 property, Commissioner Bjorklund said he .didn't like "making the commercial an 44 island", when it should be attached to the existing commercial instead. Mr. 45 Childs responded that he perceived that he only spoke to the intent of the 46 developer that the new commercial would be oriented to the 500 new residents and 47 there would be no need for a community drive around the buildings. He added that, ' 48 a _a.p racti_cal:matter, he would not expect people who park in front of the com- O�49 mercia(_area �roul`d be apt to walk over to the grocery store, any more than they do 50 now from the liquor warehouse. Commissioner Bjorklund said that was just what he 51 meant by saying the new commercial would generate traffic all over the area and ( • 52 perhaps could even result in a pedestrian getting killed. f 53 54 The Commissioner said he thought the amount of space devoted to commercial was 55 far too much and would have preferred to see only accessory commercial similar to