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Posted on Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 11:44 a.m.

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

By Ryan J. Stanton

The_Varsity_2.jpg

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

Property owners living near a 13-story student high-rise proposed for 425 E. Washington St. are being asked to offer their thoughts on downtown Ann Arbor's latest development.

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.

The 173-unit, 418-bed project proposed by Potomac Holdings of Bethesda, Md., was met with mostly praise last week when it went before the city's new Design Review Board. The project has been designed to comply with the city's new design guidelines and the requirements of the D1 zoning district for downtown properties.

There will be opportunity for discussion and comment about the project at the upcoming meeting, which takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave. in the Michigan Room. Attendance will be taken and comments documented.

It's expected the project will be formally submitted to the city's planning department for review by July 25, with consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council following in the months after that. The plans can be downloaded on the city's eTRAKiT webpage.

For additional information, contact J Bradley Moore & Associates Architects at (734) 930-1500 or varsityaa@gmail.com.

Ray Detter, chairman of the Downtown Citizens Advisory Council, said last week there is hope for a better product. He relayed a document via e-mail containing several points of concern in the design guidelines as they relate to The Varsity (download the document).

He said some of them were dealt with by the Design Review Board, but not in any systematic way, so he and others will raise their concerns at the July 7 meeting.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.

Comments

Bill Sikkenga

Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 2:04 a.m.

Where were the invitations for comments when the pole barn/Army surplus City Hall addition was floated? Or the Library Lot Cavern with no top structure was launched? The City Fathers need to monitor their own projects before they choke private developers with noisome regulations that only inhibit quality projects.

JerryStone1971

Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 1:12 a.m.

The drawings look good to me. I'm a downtown resident, and I'm in favor of further expanding the downtown population. The current use of that land is atrocious, this would be a welcome addition to that part of town. I hope this passes.

shepard145

Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 12:58 a.m.

PART II ...yet the Historic District Commission HAS BEEN GRANTED THE POWER TO STOP or severely warp any project in one of it's districts because of another BAD DECISION BY CITY COUNCIL. This volunteer commission should ONLY be authorized to make recommendations to the Planning Board - NOT GRANT APPROVALS! For anyone who understands planning and design, Ann Arbor is a museum of the WRECKAGE of moronic ordinances and the strange buildings they leave behind in a hobbled by decades zoning gimmicks. The buyers of this site, including that death trap of a house, will be FORCED TO AVOID THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION DESTRUCTIVE POWER by leaving the house in place and wrapping the new building around it. If there are any leaders in this City WITH A CLUE, NOW IS THE TIME TO INTERVENE AND PREVENT ANOTHER LAUGHING STOCK IN THE MAKING!!!

shepard145

Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 12:53 a.m.

You think the design is uninspired, bland and an awful creamy yellow now, well you have yet to see the Huron side of this project ....and for good reason. Here Ann Arbor contributes more nonsensical meddling - and once again to the detriment of the City. Imagine the movie "UP" where the old man's little shack in a City business district is surrounded by towers because he won't sell. Now imagine the movie is set in Ann Arbor where the old man happily sold and moved to South Beach......but it turns out that his house was in a historic district and those dogmatic ideologues in charge of the committee WILL NOT SUPPORT IT'S REMOVAL because it's just toooo cute!! The power granted this historic district commission is insane and the disastrous results will be demonstrated for all to see when this project is constructed. Just like the Justice Center - one of the worst buildings in the nation - you will once again have the opportunity to stare, cry or laugh in astonishment at the irrational results - now in the early planning stages. In order to avoid this amateurish, emotional and tyrannical board, which can stop any project unfortunate enough to be in a historic district, this building will L around a hideous 2 story wood shingled house facing Huron because this committee thinks it's a VALUABLE STRUCTURE. ...meaning the house next door has some value so this falling down wreck must remain to provide it companionship!!??

Adrienne Kaplan

Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 9:45 p.m.

I agree with Ray Detter. Bad design.

silverfoxaa

Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.

As Phillip Johnson once said "All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space. " so, on with mediocrity..........don't we have anyone in this town who actually cares about and can create good design ?

a2grateful

Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.

The west elevation of the Varsity and the east elevation of 411 Lofts are TWELVE feet apart. I wonder what the wind pattern will be in the resulting 10-story building alley possibly to be known as, "Hope you like seeing lots of your neighbor."

Tom Joad

Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 4:24 p.m.

What a monstrous encroachment on the swanky condo building across the street. Your view is ruined, your privacy becomes zilch...with a building full of students staring down on you...Keep Manhattan out of downtown.

MAS

Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 4:56 p.m.

Seems like overkill. Isn't there enough student housing already?

Roadman

Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 3:55 p.m.

Interested memebers of the public should contact the Downtown Citizens Advisory Council with questions. I anticipate there ma be significant public opposition to this project proposal like we have seen with other recent projects that were scuttled.