Members of the Urban Design Commission discussed initial plans for a new student housing apartment complex on the corner of Dayton and Brooks Wednesday.
Project developer Joe McCormick said he plans to construct a new four-story apartment building in place of the three street flats that are currently located on Brooks and Dayton that are ""becoming old and outdated,"" he said.
""We're at a crossroads,"" McCormick said. ""The time has come where we need to decide whether to keep these old buildings and fix them up or tear them down and build something new.""
The new four-story apartment building McCormick plans to construct in place of the existing flats will house 14 units with two units on the ground floor and three units on each of the remaining floors.
McCormick also said the complex will be more upscale. For example, he discussed including a washer and dryer in each housing unit.
McCormick said his plan also includes a lounge area that tenants could use as a common space for studying and hanging out, which committee members discussed placing in open space on the ground floor.
Committee members also debated the potential lounge space being moved to the top floor where students could study in a calm space with good views.
""Lounge spaces like these are typically a space where students like to get away,"" UDC Vice Chairperson Todd Barnett said. ""I'd be much more interested in this ground floor space if it was being used for something commercial like a coffee shop.""
While the initial planning stages for this building are now underway, the building plan will not be approved in time to begin construction this year.
McCormick hopes to break ground sometime in the year 2013 and have the apartment complex ready for students in November of 2014.
