Community members voiced their concerns Monday night at the Planning Commission meeting regarding the planned expansion of the Metropolitan Place Condominiums, located at 360 W. Washington St.
333 W. Mifflin St. was planned for demolition at an April 4 Planning Commission meeting to provide space for Phase II of construction. The expansion consists of 164 additional condominium units, 320 additional stalls of parking and 16,000 square feet of commercial space.
Metropolitan Place owner Cliff Fischer plans to use this extra commercial space for an area grocery store. Members of the Mifflin Street Co-Op see this as a threat to their independent, volunteer-based business that serves the community by delivering to disabled citizens and providing more local produce than other grocers. Mifflin Street Co-Op is one of three collectively owned grocery stores in the nation.
\Any new grocery store that moves into the development will most certainly drive two long-standing local businesses that have done a lot for the community out of business,"" said Mifflin Street Co-Op member Clare Fehsenfeld, speaking of the co-op and its fellow Mifflin Street grocery, Capitol Centre Foods, 111 N. Broom St.
Plans for a new grocery store seem unlikely, however. Fischer has been unable to find an interested buyer and will not receive city funding for the competing grocery store.
""The application that the planning commission has before them tonight in no way, shape, or form means that there is going to be a grocery store in Phase II of Metropolitan Place,"" said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
Most of the 174 current residents of Metropolitan Place are pleased with their residency, but have raised questions regarding the new development's effect on their property. Several residents requested more information about how the parking garage would attach to the building.
""I think there's more information that we need to get from the developers before the project takes place,"" said resident Michael McCann.
Yet the developers and architects are reluctant to postpone planning. Fischer, who has been working on the project for the past six years, said complaints should have been made earlier. Construction manager Geoffrey Hurtado shares his concern.
""The clock is ticking, we need to move this forward,"" urged Hurtado.
The Planning Commission referred the item for further debate at the next meeting, scheduled May 2, so that a decision can be made at the Common Council meeting on May 3.
