Midtown tower approved
A proposed eight-story Midtown condominium tower is clear to proceed after the city's Downtown Design Review Committee voted against a neighboring developer's concerns over the building's height.
The Elliott is proposed for a long-empty lot at 1305 Classen Drive, which is immediately south of the former Villa Teresa School that is being redeveloped by Marva Ellard into housing and a boutique hotel.
When designs were first unveiled by developers Grant Willoughby and John Ridley, they noted they tried to be sensitive to Villa Teresa. Elliott said he designed the 41-residence tower so that a modern, glass facade faced the downtown skyline, while a more traditional brick facade faced the neighborhood, including Villa Teresa.
Ellard opposed the project when it was first presented to the Downtown Design Review Committee and repeated her concerns Thursday despite a list of changes made by Elliott in response to issues she raised.
Those changes included adding landscaping along the top ridge of the parking structure and using art to screen openings to the ground floor level of the garage. A service entrance was added, and a dog park was added to the south side of the garage.
The two sides, however, continued to clash over height, with attorney David Box citing design ordinances for allowing the height while Ellard and her attorney, Kelly Work, cited a new “downtown framework” policy that appears to encourage lower density for the area.
Planning staff have yet to clarify which guidelines take precedence in such disputes.
“We believe what we have in height is compatible,” Box said. “When you drive the area, it is a diverse mix of buildings, in use, architecture, height, scale and mass. To say this is out of context with the area is incorrect.”
Box delivered several letters of support for the project from neighbors, including St. Anthony Hospital.
“The only people who don't support it are a competing developer across the street,” Box said. “This is the kind of development people were begging for five years ago.”
Ellard said the height, and not a competing product, was at issue.
“We are absolutely as an ownership group pleased the applicant wants to build high-end housing on the site,” Ellard said. “We think that is the best use for the site. It's not the use we oppose but how they want to do it that we oppose.”
Committee member Julie Kriegel, one of two who ultimately voted against the project, agreed with Ellard's concerns about the height and asked if the project could be altered to have more mass and less height.
“We explored all the
options, and we believe verticality is the future,” Willoughby said. “It's not an imposing mass. It feels like it belongs. We feel like eight is the most appropriate number for this development.”
Kriegel said she viewed the area from atop the nearby 11-story Physicians and Surgeons Tower to judge whether The Elliott was a good fit for the surrounding area.
“The question I've been struggling with is what is the right height for the area?” Kriegel said. “It should be sloping down to what is around it. The appropriate height is six stories.”
The vote of 4-2 to approve The Elliott followed comments by vice-chair Cory Baitz and member Gary Jones praising the project design and height.
“I believe if both projects are completed it will be another notch in improving the downtown area,” Jones said. “I believe The Elliott is another step in in accomplishing what downtown can be.”