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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Letter to Planning and Housing from GK Development dated December 7, 2006 WRITER'S DIRECT DIAL NUMBER (515) 246-5816 WRITER'S E-MAIL ADDRESS burk.patrick@bradshawlaw.com December 7, 2006 RECEIVED City of Ames Department of Planning and Housing D t C 12 2006 515 Clark Avenue CITY OF ALES, IOWA P.O. Box 811 OEPT. OF PLANNING & HOUSING Ames, IA 50010 Re: Adaptive Reuse Application Regarding North Grand Mall To All Concerned Individuals: Please consider this letter as part of the Adaptive Reuse Application packet regarding North Grand Mall. This letter will put in narrative form the supporting information as required as part of the Application. The form of this letter will utilize the outline in the Adaptive Reuse Supporting Information portion of the Adaptive Reuse Application. 1. Conditions. (a) Commercial/Retail Use. The North Grand Mall continues as a conforming use under the Planned Regional Commercial (PRC) District. The current use is a mixture of commercial and retail uses traditionally associated with a regional shopping center. Accordingly, this Adaptive Reuse Application meets the requirements of Ames Municipal Code Section 29.306(2)(a). (b) Economic Value to City. The proposed renovation and expansion of North Grand Mall provides the City of Ames with a significant economic and positive impact. As disclosed in the Site Development Plan, associated elevations and drawings submitted with this Application, both the North Grand Mall itself as well as the renovation and expansion of the area south of the existing Mall referred to as the Streets of North Grand significantly enhance the ability of the North Grand Mall to attract visitors both from the City of Ames and regionally. The design of the Mall itself is intended to attract shoppers and diners in a pedestrian friendly format with significant landscaping and architectural improvements. These improvements are vast and significant, enhancing and modernizing the existing Mall in significant -2- respects. As you can see by the exterior elevations of each of the buildings to be included in the Streets of North Grand, the architectural designs draw in the eye to enhance its pedestrian friendly aspects. These architectural features are carried over in renovations to the east elevation of the existing North Grand Mall. These enhancements are designed to increase shoppingand dining thereby bringing additional tax dollars to the City of Ames in the form of sales tax. Additionally, these improvements and renovations will significantly enhance the value of the-real estate which will correspondingly increase the real estate tax base of the currently underutilized real estate. Also of significance is the fact that the owners are not requesting any form of economic incentive from the City of Ames to make these enhancements and improvements, permitting the City of Ames to take full advantage of the increase in sales tax revenue and real estate property tax base. (c) Long Term Benefits vs. Negative Impact. As indicated in section (b) there is a significant economic impact of the enhancement and improvements to North Grand Mall and the Streets of North Grand which are designed to last for decades. This area benefits from a more aesthetically pleasing shopping district as well as a more appropriately utilized shopping district which is designed with streetscaping and hardscape areas pleasing to shoppers, pedestrians and those who may be happening to drive by on Grand Avenue. The enhancement and expansion of North Grand Mall and the Streets of North Grand will have little or no negative impact on the City of Ames or the neighborhoods directly adjoining the existing Mall area. Any traffic issues are being appropriately addressed as part of the traffic study. The North Grand Mall is designed to meet local and regional shopping requirements for years to come. (d) Architectural and Historical Value. The owners of North Grand Mall are making no claim that any of the structures have any significant architectural or historical value prior to the renovation and expansion; however, the significant renovations and enhancements are designed to create architecture of local and regional significance in the area. 2. Performance Standards. (a) Architectural Features. As indicated in Section 1(d) above, the renovation and expansion of the North Grand Mall and the Streets of North Grand enhances the architectural features of the Mall area in several significant respects. The architectural drawings provided as part of this Application speak for themselves. (b) Landscaping. As indicated in the Site Development Plan the landscaping for the existing and proposed areas of the Streets of North Grand and North Grand Mall include areas within the right-of-way as well as the hardscaping of -3- the pedestrian walkways located in the Streets of North Grand. Moreover, the owners of North Grand Mall have determined that the triangular parcel west of Ferndale Avenue and North of 28th Street will continue as green space, thus further enhancing the landscaping possibilities for the site. It is the landscaping itself which has primarily driven the need for the owners of North Grand Mall and the Streets of North Grand to seek an Application for Adaptive Reuse as the technical requirements under current zoning standards would not technically be met; however, the owners and architects have taken full advantage of the pedestrian walkways and other greenscaping areas available to them to enhance the landscaping to the fullest-extent possible. It is due to the aging layout of the real estate in this location that meeting the technical requirements of landscaping under current zoning ordinances is not practical. The owners firmly believe that the architectural enhancements, pedestrian hardscape walkways, plantings and maintenance of existing green areas take full advantage of the possibilities for landscaping which were available to them. In fact the architectural design associated with the Streets of North Grand and North Grand Mall turn these limitations into enhancements supporting the City of Ames' decision to grant the Application for Adaptive Reuse. Please note that the Ames Municipal Ordinance Section 29.306(3)(b) specifically permits the City to grant permission to the owner to use areas within the public right-of-way and adjacent to the site to satisfy landscaping requirements. (c) Off-Street Parking. There is currently no plan for the use of off-street parking as the parking requirements are able to be met under the current plans for renovation and expansion of North Grand Mall and the Streets of North Grand. Overall, the granting of the owner's Application for Adaptive Reuse would permit the continued use of the North Grand Mall area to meet the shopping needs of the City of Ames and central Iowa in a very upscale manner with significant visual impact. It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance would be more appropriately put to use. Respectfully submitted, Patrick T. Burk On behalf of GK Development North Grand Mall Partners, LLC and Grand Center Partners, LLC PTB/dr Bob Kindred/COA To bobanncamp@aol.com, matthewgoodman@mchsi.com, r 0 rmahayni@isunet.net,jim@jimpopken.org, 01/15/2007 02:29 PM drice827@msn.com, ldollr@gmail.com, Steve 8 s cc Diane R Voss/COA@COA, Doug Marek/COA@COA, steveosguthorpe@earthlink.net bcc Subject North Grand Mall Redevelopment Issues This is a"heads up" regarding issues that have come up as staff is conducting a thorough review of GK Development's North Grand Mall "adaptive reuse"application. The adaptive reuse provision of the City code appears to have been written in a somewhat broad manner in order to accommodate the reuse of primarily historical structures. Some basic questions as to "legislative intent" have surfaced as we've worked to apply these code requirements to the North Grand Mall regional commercial site. These issues primarily involve on-site landscaping requirements, although parking and traffic management requirements could also be involved. Staff normally relies upon the written Code requirements and does not bring development projects to Council for direction. In this case, however, the alternative would be to take a conservative interpretation and impose requirements upon the owners that they may not be willing to accept. Bringing these issues to Council seems to be the most appropriate action prior to notifying the owners of the City's complete development requirements. In order to be certain that we are advising this owner and conducting this review in accordance with your intentions,we plan to bring this item to Council for guidance at your January 23 meeting. If any of you disagree with this approach, however, please let Steve or me know. Bob Bob Kindred Assistant City Manager City of Ames, Iowa (515) 239-5202 Caring People"Quality Programs_ Exceptional Service