MDC and IHPC Quick Hits – 10/24/11

It’s been a while since I posted a Quick Hits so we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. Here’s what I’ve come across in Metropolitan Development Commission and Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission filings as of 10/24/11 (click links to read staff reports on these cases):

1. Board of Zoning Appeals 10/11/11 – As previously reported, a Jack in the Box restaurant is proposed for a site at 1521 N Meridian St. A rendering and siteplan were included with the staff report this time, but the case was again continued to the next hearing on 11/15/11. On 10/13/11, a related case was also continued by the Regional Center Hearing Examiner to 11/17/11.

A rendering for the proposed Jack in the Box at 1521 N Meridian.
A siteplan for the proposed Jack in the Box at 1521 N Meridian.

2. MDC Hearing Examiner 10/13/11 – A developer proposes a gigantic car and truck gas station immediately to the southeast of the I-70 West/Missouri exit downtown. Staff recommends denial but the case was continued to 11/10/11.

3. MDC Hearing Examiner 10/13/11 – A developer requests rezoning of property at 6334 Westfield Blvd for office and retail reuse. The site is bounded by the Monon Trail on the west and the Central Canal on the south and the developer also requests a variance for zero parking spaces. This case was approved by the MDC Hearing Examiner and will get a final hearing by the MDC on 11/2/11.

4. MDC Hearing Examiner 10/13/11 – Yet another apartment complex is proposed for the Martindale-Brightwood Neighborhood. This project, to be called Newport on the Monon, is planned for 1902 Alvord St., the east side of the Monon Trail between 19th and 20th Streets. The project consists of 60 apartments in two 3-story buildings and one 4-story building. 60 total parking spaces would be provided in a 48 space parking lot and 12 garages. The case was approved by the MDC Hearing Examiner and will get a final hearing by the MDC on 11/2/11.

A siteplan for Newport on the Monon at 1902 N Alvord.

5. Board of Zoning Appeals 10/11/11 – The petitioner seeks a temporary variance (through 2014) to allow an “Assembly Event Center” in a former industrial space (551 W Merrill St) near Lucas Oil Stadium. The staff report notes the obvious: the petitioner wants to rent the space for big events, including the 2012 Super Bowl in February. The case was approved.

6. MDC Hearing Examiner 10/27/11 – As previously reported, local developer Milhaus has proposed a new retail/residential project on the site of the former BMV branch at 531 Virginia. The staff report now includes a siteplan and a rendering is available from Milhaus’s blog (their Think Mixed Use blog is required reading to get the developer perspective on building mixed use projects today). Staff recommends approval.

A rendering of the proposed Mozzo mixed use building at 531 Virginia.
A siteplan for the proposed Mozzo mixed use building at 531 Virginia.

7. MDC Hearing Examiner 10/27/11 and Regional Center Hearing Examiner 10/27/11 – As previously reported, the redevelopment of the Solotken Building at 101 S Harding is back on the docket. The staff report for the Regional Center Hearing Examiner case includes the following siteplan. Staff recommends approval of both cases.

A siteplan for the Solotken Building residential reuse proposed at 101 S Harding.

Note: “MDC and IHPC Quick Hits” is not comprehensive coverage of all cases before the Metropolitan Development Commission and Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission. If we missed a noteworthy case in a recent filing, let everybody know in the comments section.

See the previous Quick Hits here.

Comments 10

  • Nice to see the old pet place getting a makeover. Im curious to see how trail oriented retail could bring this building to life 🙂
    .
    Also excited about the Mozzo building. Nice to see our TRAILS driving development. Ya think that rail transit could do the same? Hmmmm

  • Jack in the Boxes are going up everywhere apparently. There is one opening in a few months at the northwest corner of County Line and US31 down by Greenwood.

    • It should be noted that Planning staff, the local CDC, and neighbors all oppose the Meridian Street Jack.
      .
      The plan offers a single-use building with 10% lot coverage (i.e. 2900 sf building on 29000 sf lot) in an area planned for medium-density mixed use. Even CVS next door is closer to 30% lot coverage. Next door the other way, at 1433, is a mixed-use 2-story building with North Meridian Hardware on the first floor and offices on the second. Its footprint is about 33% lot coverage, which would be a FAR of about 0.66. The lot across the alley to the east was just rezoned from C-4 commercial to C-2 office-apartment.
      .
      A car-oriented commercial node was inevitable at 16th & Meridian, but I do think we need to stop at what’s already there. The immediate neighborhood to the east is pretty densely developed and populated; this location is within sight of a cluster of tall apartment buildings. There is significant mid-rise office development occurring and planned to the west. This just isn’t the right thing for this location.

  • Disguisted by the truck stop….hope the community shows up in protest.
    The design of the Monon apartments seems off. It doesn’t really approach the Monon to say it fronts it and yet the east side of the buildings are covered by parking lots. Not very urban, especially with the other proposal for that area. I am very excited though, to see the Monon and other trails being considered as a busy street of sorts now. It is a great marketing tool that is still underutilized!

    • The thing about this project, as opposed to the one that came up in a recent post, is that it’s on the east side of the Monon. Assuming we actually get the NE rail corridor going around here, that project is actually going to front the rail line, not the trail.

      But yeah, the design looks pretty weak regardless.

  • Also interested to see what happens with the old pet place on Westfield…a lot of recent activity on that stretch of Monon. I wonder if Rogers Pools place has considered cashing in their property and moving elsewhere. They have an attractive lot (although not big enough for “Reserve Dr” like development)

  • Love the looks of the MOZZO and how it will further connect downtown to Fountain Square. Things are looking up for Indy when I see projects like this.

  • Go Jack!

    Okay, while not a fan of lower density development, I think Jack in the Box has done a good job addressing the ideas of N. Meridian Street.
    – The buildling is up near the road with outside tables.
    – The drive thru is hidden behind the building with the parking lot.
    – The renderings make it look similar to the two story building that will house the hardware store.
    – The CVS parking lot will be more exposed than the Jack in the Box parking.
    – If they landscape it reasonably, it will be a good addition.

    I live nearby and I say, Welcome.

  • I think this is a fair assessment — Jack in the Box has created the absolute best possible proposal given this piece of land, their standard business requirements and new urbanism design guidelines.
    .
    It’s still a terrible urban land use.
    .
    Don’t be fooled, this is a substantial piece of land. Bring it up on google maps and compare it to the footprint of towers in downtown — almost all of them could fit on this site. Obviously, I don’t advocate anything remotely that intense but this proposal is insanely on the opposite end of the spectrum.

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