The Varsity : All posts

Ann Arbor DDA puts more money toward housing and replacing Main Street light poles

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority adopted a revised budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Wednesday in response to directives from the City Council to put more money toward affordable housing and replacing deteriorating streetlight poles on Main Street.

The revised budget also factors in newer revenue projections from the city assessor's office, showing the DDA collecting more than $4.5 million in taxes for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

• Download the budget

13-story Varsity apartments project wins approval from Ann Arbor City Council

An aerial view of the project known as The Varsity, shown in yellow, as viewed from the southeast on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Shown in the background is Sloan Plaza condominiums on Huron Street. To the left is 411 Lofts, and to the right is the First Baptist Church.

Image courtesy of developer

The council's action on the site plan and development agreement clears the way for a 13-story student high-rise at 425 E. Washington St.

The Varsity high-rise development proposal wins approval from Ann Arbor Planning Commission

An aerial view of the project known as The Varsity, shown in yellow, as viewed from the southeast on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Shown in the background is Sloan Plaza condominiums on Huron Street. To the left is 411 Lofts, and to the right is the First Baptist Church.

Image courtesy of developer

The project will now go before the Ann Arbor City Council for final approval.

13-story downtown high-rise draws criticism at Ann Arbor Planning Commission meeting

An aerial view of the project known as The Varsity, shown in yellow, as viewed from the southeast on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Shown in the background is Sloan Plaza condominiums on Huron Street. To the left is 411 Lofts, and to the right is the First Baptist Church.

Image courtesy of developer

The general concept of The Varsity — a dense housing development catering to University of Michigan students — appears to have support, but a few details remain to be worked out.

Downtown Ann Arbor property owners asked to give input on 13-story 'Varsity' project

A proposed 13-story apartment building called The Varsity, shown in yellow, would stand next to 411 Lofts on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

Courtesy of WDG Architecture

As required by the city's citizen participation ordinance, all property owners within 1,000 feet of the proposed development known as The Varsity have been sent notices of a July 7 meeting being organized by the developer.

A closer look at the 13-story project known as The Varsity, Ann Arbor's latest student high-rise proposal

The design team for the downtown Ann Arbor high-rise project being dubbed The Varsity submitted a series of conceptual artist's renderings of the 13-story tower proposed for 425 E. Washington St. before it went before the city's Design Review Board on Wednesday.

The Varsity: Ann Arbor's new Design Review Board offers its first critique on 13-story student high-rise

Architect Robert Keane of WDG Architecture based in Washington, D.C., shows a drawing of a proposed 13-story apartment building called The Varsity, shown in yellow, that would stand next to 411 Lofts on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"I think today is sort of a historic day," said Tamara Burns, a local architect and chairwoman of the city's seven-member Design Review Board.

13-story student housing project 'The Varsity' proposed to rival 411 Lofts in downtown Ann Arbor

The Ann Arbor Professional Building, which used to house a pharmacy, has stood at 425 E. Washington St. in downtown Ann Arbor for five decades. It's now the site of a proposed 13-story student housing project called The Varsity. The project would rival 411 Lofts, another project shown at left.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

The first downtown development to face the scrutiny of Ann Arbor's new design review process will be a student high-rise proposed for 425 E. Washington St.

Wendy Rampson, the city's planning manager, announced the news at Tuesday night's Planning Commission meeting. She said the city's planning department received preliminary design plans on Friday from a firm based out of Maryland.