Former Our Lady of Good Counsel School has been proposed to be renovated into a 22-unit apartment building. (photo via City Planning Commission)
City Planning officials are set to discuss the proposal of an apartment building located at the former Our Lady of Good Counsel School at a City Planning Commission meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The former school building, located at 1215 Louisiana Avenue, has been proposed to be renovated into a 22-unit apartment building. According to city documents, the applicant, Good Counsel Partners, LLC, has also proposed a pool for the back of the property with an open-air pavilion.
Rain gardens are proposed for the front yard of the site.
City documents state that the site has been associated with the Our Lady of Good Counsel Church for over 100 years. The church’s campus expanded down Louisiana Avenue and Chestnut Street, creating what is now the parking lot for the church.
According to the proposal, off-street parking for the apartment building would be accessed by a shared drive with the neighboring church property.
City documents also state that the school closed first, then the church and both were put on their own lots of record in 2014. The church has since undergone renovations to operate as a church again.
According to the City Planning report of the property, staff recommends approval of the proposal and believes plans are consistent with the city’s Master Plan and zoning.
“Due to its small size, the multi-family dwelling would be fairly moderate in the overall levels of activity, noise, traffic, and parking demand it would generate,” the report states. “Additionally, the renovation will enable a vacant building to return to its use, which will benefit the area.”
The proposal will be heard at Tuesday’s City Planning Commission meeting beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Finally! This is long overdue. Alas, the archdiocese was more focused on shutting down OLGC Parish than it was on utilizing this property.