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August 18, 2005
Plans unveiled for old Ford garageDeveloper wants parking, shops, officesByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Right now, it's a desolate stretch of West Front Street. But a developer submitted plans to the city to take an old car dealership and turn it into a bustling three-story building with public parking, retail, office and residential use. The city planning commission Tuesday received a site plan review application for Michael Uzelac's project at 124 W. Front St. The 45-foot-tall building would replace the former Grand Traverse Auto dealership, the windows of which are still tagged with ads for Crown Victorias, Explorers and Mustangs, circa 1997. "To see blighted property put into new uses, mixed uses, and to achieve the vision that has been laid out for getting parking lots out of downtown and asphalt out of downtown - this is a big step," said Bryan Crough, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority. Uzelac also intends to build a 100-foot-tall building on the south side of the street with a hefty public parking component. He has not submitted plans for that project. The project on the north side meets zoning requirements, but review is required because the project will create more than 500 "car trips" a day. The planning commission is scheduled to study it Sept. 7. A larger process will follow to create a developer's agreement and bond issue to fund the public portion of the project. The three-story structure includes a 35,700-square-foot lower level with 80 parking spots. The first and second floors each contain about 35,000 square feet. The first floor boasts another 50 parking spots and room for three retail units. The second floor is for commercial use. About 100 of the parking spots will be for public use. The city will pay about $2.5 million for parking on the north side of Front Street, Crough said. The project is sandwiched between the Record-Eagle office and J&S Hamburg. The plan "doesn't sound too bad," said Gary Nelson, as he lunched on the sidewalk outside the diner. Nelson noted the top floor of residential units and said it was another case of city development "going condo-happy." The third floor of the project is reserved for 14 residential units. City planner Russ Soyring estimates the project will generate 682 car trips a day, not including public parking use. Planners will review all aspects of the plan including setbacks, use of windows and height. Zoning allows buildings to reach 60 feet in that district. Soyring said he suggested adding a partial fourth story to break up the building and make it "more interesting." But Soyring said Uzelac doesn't want to block the views from residential units he plans to build across the street. See Related Stories: Developer's Front Street plans test height rules - August 11, 2005 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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An architect’s rendering of Michael Uzelac’s project on the north side of West Front Street.
