A city planning commission stalled in making a decision on a proposed apartment complex on North Brooks Street Monday because of conflict between city and university building guidelines.
Property owner Joseph McCormick presented a proposed plan to tear down two existing apartment buildings at 202-206 N. Brooks St. and replace them with one five-story apartment complex.
The apartment complex is designed for students with two-, three- and four-bedroom units, bicycle and moped parking and a modern design.
“It’s going to serve the students at UW and is very attractive and will serve the market for years to come,” project architect Joe Lee said.
The Plan Commission referred the proposal to the Urban Design Commission, which will review the proposed apartment plans for a third time. The Plan Commission’s concern included the proposed building’s height and how far it would be set back from the street.
McCormick’s proposal also conflicts with guidelines for future construction projects set in the Campus Master Plan, Regent Street South Campus Neighborhood Plan and the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
UW Facilities Planning and Management Director Gary Brown said the campus master plan calls for academic and research facilities, including an addition to the Educational Sciences Building to be built the on the corner of Brooks and Dayton streets.
Although the city and university’s plans direct the type of construction in the southeast campus area, Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said they are recommendations and “more of a ‘should-do this’ than a ‘must-do this.’”
Resnick said although he understands the conflict, the new apartment complex would be replacing the current dilapidated structures, which were built in 1905 and have no other historical relevance to the neighborhood.
In situations similar to this, developers have compromised and built “less-concrete” structures with a shorter life span, according to Resnick. However, no agreement has been reached.
“Hopefully, they can come to an agreement with the university on something everyone can agree upon,” Resnick said. “If not, this is why we have city commissions and city council to try to figure out these disputes.”
