The Urban Design Commission granted the Edgewater Hotel expansion final approval in an 8-2 vote Wednesday.
Edgewater architect David Manfredi, of Elkus Manfredi Architects, presented the committee plans, which he said have remained the same since the plans were last proposed.
Manfredi said his desire is to maintain the historical character of the current Edgewater building and work on blending it with the proposed addition.
""These buildings talk to each other in a fundamentally organizational way,"" Manfredi said.
""This is a rehabilitation project,"" Manfredi added. ""The goal is to put the building back together the way it was originally on its exterior.""
Even with the approval, a large concern for community and committee members alike is the level of disturbance the new lighting on the building may cause.
""This is not a Las Vegas façade,"" architect Ingrid Masters said. ""We are at the lower end of lighting, but we don't want darkness. Our priorities are to blend with the neighborhood. We have decided to err on the conservative side.""
Committee members questioned whether these lighting concerns take precedence in the finalization of the Edgewater plans.
""We would love a residential-looking building. A heavily lit building is highly inappropriate for this district. We expect it to be like the rest of the neighborhood,"" an opposing resident said.
Additionally the committee decided to move forward with plans for a new West Mifflin Street apartment complex.
Architect John Bieno presented his tentative plan for a new 42-unit apartment complex to the committee.
Committee members responded with concern regarding the structure and overall design of the proposed complex.
""In this neighborhood it should look like an apartment, not like an apartment building that's trying to look like a home. I want to see something more urban,"" committee member Melissa Huggins said.
Committee Chairperson Richard Wagner echoed Huggins' statements, saying, ""There is no design coherence.""
Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, concluded by saying the plans are ""not quite there yet.""
""We're still in the preliminary stages,"" Bieno said.
