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July 27, 2005Reaching for the limitUzelac shoots for 100-foot-tall buildingByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - A building proposed for the south side of West Front Street could tower as high as 100 feet - the limit of the city's building height ordinance. Developer Michael Uzelac of Federated Properties LLC hoped to submit an application for a special land-use permit to the city today in order to introduce the height proposal at an Aug. 3 planning commission meeting. He said Tuesday it was unlikely preliminary plans would be ready in time. His plan, when submitted, could include a 100-foot-tall building on the south side of West Front Street. The building would contain four levels of public parking topped by several stories of residential units. Project planners are also looking for ways to increase residential use, city planner Russ Soyring said. Buildings in that zoning district are allowed to reach 60 feet by right. They can soar to an 85-foot maximum if the developer obtains a special land-use permit. Adding another 15 feet, bringing the total height to 100 feet, is allowed to house mechanical equipment and an elevator shaft, Soyring said. "The ordinance allows for a building that can be at 100 feet, we are just trying to work within that ordinance," Uzelac said. One idea floated by the developer to maximize residential space is to use part or all of the extra 15 feet allowed for mechanical equipment. Soyring said it would require a zoning "text amendment" if the developer proposed building to 100 feet but locating equipment "somewhere else." Uzelac told city planners at a meeting last week he wants the plan to feature "more affordable units." Robert Holdeman of AAI Inc., who is working on plans, said at the meeting the project was "not as high density as what we would like to see." The developer is also toying with the mix of uses in the building planned for the north side of West Front Street at the former Grand Traverse Auto site. There, Uzelac planned a four-story structure with retail and office space and public parking below grade. But project planners are thinking about adding residential on that side of the street also. "He (Uzelac) wants to get more residential to make the project more financially feasible ...," said Soyring. "(It) sounds like the architects were struggling to get that kind of density." See Related Stories: 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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