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August 11, 2005Plans test height rulesDeveloper wants to 'hide' equipmentByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Design ideas for a West Front Street development will test the city's tall buildings ordinance. Developer Michael Uzelac will ask the city to interpret its height rules as he plans a multistory public parking and residential complex. Some city officials anticipate opposition to one of his ideas to maximize residential space. The redevelopment of the 100 block of West Front Street includes a three-story project on the north side of the street. The planning commission expects to start a site plan review there Sept. 7. But most questions surround plans for a building across the street at the corner of West Front and Pine streets. Here, buildings can reach a height of 85 feet with a special land use permit. Another 15 feet, stretching the height limit to 100 feet, is allowed for rooftop mechanical equipment and elevator shafts. Uzelac asked city officials to let him weave residential space into the extra 15 feet at the top. His plan would screen the equipment and leave as much as 20,000 square feet of usable space. "(The) building will look identical," he told a special city subcommittee studying the project. Uzelac floated the idea at a meeting of the city planning and Downtown Development Authority sub-committee this week. Some city officials warned the developer to expect opposition to the plan for the extra space. "It's going to be real hard. I know that was not the intent," said Jan Warren, of the planning commission. The building would be 100 feet tall no matter what, Uzelac said. Allowing him to use space that would otherwise be "nothingness" makes the project more viable, he said. Warren said there was "tremendous pressure" on the city commission to lower building heights when the current ordinance was approved. Commissioner Scott Hardy, a member of the sub-committee, said Uzelac's idea is "pushing the envelope." But, Hardy said, "We aren't saying we are against it." See Related Stories: Developer shoots for 100-foot tall building in downtown TC - July 27, 2005 Front Street development plans are meshing with city vision - July 21, 2005 City will chip in for planning of west end development - July 19, 2005 TC may split cost of preliminary work on west end development - July 12, 2005 Traverse City eyes parking deck options - July 6, 2005 City: No exclusive rights to lot - May 17, 2005 TC officials hear pitch on downtown project - April 26, 2005 Downtown TC redevelopment plans will be unveiled - April 25, 2005 Details of downtown development project will be outlined - April 7, 2005 Developer eyes Front Street - April 7, 2005 See Related Editorials: City must take the lead on parking deck plans - July 12, 2005 No need for TC to link development decisions - May 18, 2005 West Front plan cannot be tied to Union Street site - May 3, 2005
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