Following approval from the Urban Design Commission and Plan Commission, the Hammes Co. intends to submit an application to the Landmarks Commission in search of a certificate of appropriateness for the Edgewater redevelopment.
The last time the Edgewater project was brought to the Landmarks Commission was at a Nov. 30 meeting where the plan was denied a request for a certificate of appropriateness as well as a Landmark Ordinance variance.
At the previous meeting the Landmarks Commission questioned whether the proposed construction to the Edgewater was appropriately sized as a part of the Mansion Hill neighborhood. The commission felt the proposed design did not complement the historic neighborhood.
The Landmarks Commission voted overwhelmingly against the Edgewater as it was proposed at the meeting in November, but the commission will be seeing a different design this time around.
""It will be very interesting if this proposal merits more support or not. Whether this latest proposal can garner more support from the commission,"" Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said.
""We believe that the design evolution over the past few months in particular provides a strong case for the approval of a certificate of appropriateness,"" Robert Dunn, president of Hammes Co., said in a statement.
Approvals from the Urban Design Commission and Plan Commission could help the project at the next stages.
""Oftentimes we look to these experts for guidance, and having the proposal approved by these commissions is an encouraging step forward for the renovations for the project to be approved by the council,"" Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, said.
The Edgewater project has gone through various hearings on its way to a final vote by the Common Council. ""The project has taken more than one step back along its long and twisting road, and it has been evolving to meet all kinds of challenges,"" Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said in his blog.
Cieslewicz said the project is likely to be considered at the April 20 Common Council meeting.
Cieslewicz said it would be a mistake to believe that the outcome is predetermined but the recent developments are positive.
