Zoning change sought to aid building owner in filling former Hollywood Video store
The Arlington Square office and retail center, located on Washtenaw Avenue and Huron Parkway, is requesting a zoning change.
Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com
A PNC Bank, PT in Motion Physical Therapy, Medical Weight Loss Clinic and American Laser Skincare are among the current tenants in the center, located on the southeast corner of Washtenaw Avenue and Huron Parkway.
A former Hollywood Video store sits empty in the center, along with a few other vacancies on two floors. CB Richard Ellis is marketing the first-level spaces for an annual $17-19 per square foot.
The center plans to request a zoning change that would allow for medical office, restaurant and barber/beauty salon uses, which are currently prohibited in the development, according to the documents.
The property is zoned C3, fringe commercial, and O, office. When the Planned Unit Development drawing for Arlington Square was approved in 1989, it prohibited the space from being used for medical and dental offices, restaurants and beauty/barber salons.
Lisa Loesel of CBRE said the owner, Arlington Square Inc., is requesting the zoning change because there are some tenants interested in the vacancies.
"They are working with a couple of tenants right now," she said.
Before submitting the proposed changes to the city on Oct. 31, there will be a citizen’s participation meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 in the former Hollywood Video store.
“We are notifying all neighbors within a 1,000 foot radius of Arlington Square of a citizen’s participation meeting to discuss the proposed changes,” according to the documents.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
swcornell
Mon, Oct 10, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.
The zoning restrictions predates all kinds of changes to that area! I think it time to review those restriction to bring it in line with the other three corners and other changes all the way up to Arborland. I think the corner with Barnes and Noble was a gas station when I first moved here.
Sparty
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 11:23 p.m.
Things change. The economy has changed, correct? Should we not be doing everything in our power to attract business to the area and fill empty locations, employ people, generate income and business taxes, etc.? That seems to be the smart thing to do vs looking back at zoning regulations that are 22 years old!
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 5:42 p.m.
It occurs to me rethinking a 1989 zoning plan is a logical thing to do given the building has sat empty for some time. What made sense 22 years ago doesn't necessarily make sense today. If Government had that sort of foresight it wouldn't be broke and unable to maintain infrastructure (Stadium bridge) and provide adequate levels of basic public safety. (layoffs of police and fire to dangerous levels).
belboz
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 2:51 p.m.
Any time you change or revise a zoning law because of an individual reason, the government is playing favorites. The company knew of the restriction when it was developed and built. So did the people that bought it. Many other businesses and individuals paid the extra cost for land or parking or site prep at their locations to satisfy the current zoning standards for the businesses that are not currently allowed at this location. So, you punish those that met the standards for whatever reason. What about the restaurants that will suffer because of a new restaurant? Or a new barber? Medical office? It is unfortunate for the spot to sit empty, but I bet it would not if they lowered their rental rates. It is all part of supply and demand. The government can't zone it away.
Sparty
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 9:36 p.m.
That is "interesting" perspective. Another would be that the zoning is 22 years old! Things change. The economy has changed, correct? Should we not be doing everything in our power to attract business to the area and fill empty locations, employ people, generate income and business taxes, etc.? That seems to be the smart thing to do vs looking back at zoning regulations that are 22 years old!
Tom Wieder
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 12:49 p.m.
Bad headline, and not consistent with the lede of the story. I assumed this was going to be about the former Hollywood store on Packard, where it was the dominant tenant. (Maybe that's been filled now - I haven't checked lately - but it was visibly empty for a long time.) The story is about Arlington Square, not Hollywood Video. It would have been much better to say "Arlington Square" or "Washtenaw/Huron Parkway building" to let people who are particularly concerned about that area, and readers in general, know what this was about.
tdw
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.
Complain,complain,complain.Next to U of M football I think complaining is Ann Arborites favorite sport
mojo
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 11:09 a.m.
......Zoning restrictions take 10-20 years to revise while the business world and various neighborhoods change with the seasons. How about a study of "Job loss due to Zoning Regulations." . Look at S. State Street - a major artery and frankly the public "Front Door" to Ann Arbor. The city has not changed that "plan" in 30 years. Why have one? Those Restrictions are stopping investments/improvements and stopping people from using the land efficiently.
David Paris
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 10:41 a.m.
Can we hear the reasoning behind omitting Medical Office, Restaurant, and Beauty/Barber, in the first place? I'd like to know the original intent of the zoning commission before we go any further.
Nerak
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 10:38 a.m.
The main issues with the site are traffic generation and frequency, and therefore parking demand and safe circulation. Curbcuts were very limited due to the proximity of the Huron Parkway/Washtenaw intersection. The mix of permissible uses has to be looked at very carefully so that the blended requirements don't exceed the site's capacity. It's further complicated by the fact that some of the parking is actually in the public right-of-way and not on private property. The challenge for the city is that, while they will be looking at a plan just for that individual property, from the user's point of view, ALL those individual parcels along that side of Washtenaw function as one big development. But, since parking standards have been revised in recent years, maybe changing the mix of uses will work.
dconkey
Sat, Oct 8, 2011 : 11:11 a.m.
To that point Nerak, Any of the proposed businesses will probably generate less traffic than the former video store. I am going to guess that the turnover rate for a restaurant or medical facility would probably be in the time frame of half an hour to an hour. The traffic turnover rate for the video store was much higher. You also mention that some of the parking is in a public right of way. Where is that?