The Urban Design Commission approved the new design of a West Washington apartment complex in a 4-3 vote at the Wednesday night's meeting.
The five-story apartment project must now pass through the Plan Commission and the City Council for approval before contractors get the go-ahead. Developers are hoping to receive approval before August, the month in which they hope to begin the project.
The apartment complex is set to feature another location for Capital Fitness, which will include a swimming pool, and a new office for optometrist John Bonsett-Veal, which will allow him to expand his practice.
The building, first proposed as a nine-story complex in 2005, failed to receive city approval four years ago due to strong opposition from city officials and citizens of the Bassett neighborhood. The complex was scaled down in size to counter claims that the building would not fit in with the smaller residential buildings in the area.
The smaller size of the new design led to more support this time around. Developer Erik Minton and architect David Ferch worked together to restructure the older design into a project more suited toward the community and the surrounding area.
The project is proposed to cost around $7.4 million dollars and is set for completion in August of 2010.
