Douglas Development is seeking Zoning Board of Appeals approval for revised plans for its Elmwood Bidwell redevelopment project today. The development team passed along updated renderings of the project which now calls for a five-story addition, ground floor retail and fifty residential units.
Prior to Douglas Development ownership, it was estimated that the buildings at 976 Elmwood, 982 Elmwood and 583 Potomac contained 19 residential units. As previously reviewed and approved, the developer proposed adding 15 units to the complex, via the addition / new build to the rear and reconfiguration of spaces in the remaining portions, bringing total unit count to 34.
As a result of the market driven project revisions, fifty units are now proposed, a 16 unit increase from the original submission. This has been accomplished by addition of the proposed fifth floor, as well as reconfiguration of the lower floor units to be reflective of more marketable units, namely studios and one-bedrooms, rather than original proposal which contained multiple two-bedroom configurations.
The developer has also recognized neighborhood concerns over tenant parking. While parking isn’t a requirement of the zoning ordinance, the developer is proposing a multi-prong transportation approach. While dense urban setting and existing site configuration doesn’t permit parking on site, Douglas Development will be offering parking at the nearby Richardson Center, also under their control, and providing 24-hour shuttle service from offsite parking to this complex. Additionally, as outlined in the original proposal, bicycle utilization is being encouraged for all residents, with bike storage available on site, and “rental” bikes available to tenants with dedicated storage in both locations to circulate between the site and remote Richardson parking.
Also finished prior to today’s hearing are new renderings showing the visual impact of the revised project including the fifth floor and raising the height of the new addition from 58 feet to 65 feet.