A vote on a controversial proposal for the reconstruction of the 100 block of State Street was postponed Wednesday.
Block 100 Foundation’s $10 million proposal to reconstruct State, West Mifflin and Fairchild Streets includes demolishing or heavily renovating six buildings, two of which are historic, and constructing an open plaza facing the Overture Center.
The Landmarks Commission, a city planning group, referred the proposal Monday to the Urban Design Commission for discussion and a possible vote Wednesday, but City Attorney Michael May said the process violated city protocol.
“It’s sort of an interactive process, and Landmarks was willing to cooperate, but the city attorney seemed to put the kibosh on that,” UDC Chair R. Richard Wagner said.
Wagner supported the referral from Landmarks, so that the proposal would receive further discussion and Landmarks would be able to vote on any changes to the proposal.
“I was not expecting a vote tonight,” Wagner said. “I was expecting a discussion about what design issues were important both to the UDC and to the applicant.”
Last week, developers Grant and W. Jerome Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland sent a letter to the UDC threatening to sell six properties on State Street if the commission does not support their designs, especially the proposed open plaza facing the Overture Center.
“The transformation of this corner is critical to the success of this project in our eyes,” Frautschi and Rowland said in their letter to Wagner.
The Landmarks Commission will take up the Block 100 Foundation’s proposal for a second time on Feb. 27.
