A revised rendering of the condo building planned at 225 State Street. (by Harry Baker Smith Architects)
Three major new Uptown developments that together represent more than 350 residential units all received City Council approval Thursday, despite neighbors’ objections to one of the projects and the developers’ desire for more density at another.
The Parkway Apartments at Washington Avenue and South Jefferson Davis Highway was approved for 207 residential units and 15,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.
The Jackson Oaks redevelopment of the former Sara Mayo hospital on Jackson Avenue was approved with 111 residential units and 17,500 square feet of ground-floor commercial. The project was originally envisioned with 211 residential units, and attorney Ed Suffern said he intends to keep working with the City Council toward a higher density.
The smallest of the three projects, the 48-unit condo building at 225 State Street intended to replace the apartments there, proved to be the most controversial. The City Planning Commission had voted against it based on a Master Plan provision against creating new multi-family housing in that low-density zoning district, and a group of neighbors beseeched the City Council to uphold that decision.
City Councilwoman Susan Guidry and several colleagues, however, argued that because the project reduces the density at the site, it conforms to the Master Plan and represents an improvement over existing conditions. As a condition of approval, however, the Historic District Landmarks Commission was given final authority of the design, so even the latest rendering presented to residents and the City Council could still be subject to change.
All three projects passed the City Council unanimously.
To read our live coverage of the meeting, see below:
Oh look at what memorable and striking architecture they’ve chosen. My my.