Midtown neighbors address development

COEUR d'ALENE - Midtown residents have formed a new neighborhood association and they want to have some say in how the urban renewal district is developed.

Greg Johnson, speaking on behalf of the Midtown Neighborhood Association, gave a presentation on Wednesday to the board of the Lake City Development Corp., which is considering a workforce housing development on the corner of Fourth Street and Roosevelt Avenue.

Johnson said the association is not happy with that proposal and wants to work with LCDC and The Housing Company, the developer of the project, to resolve some issues they have.

"We are looking for a good fit," he told the board.

The current proposal includes:

* Six two-bedroom, one-bath rental units (850 square feet).

* 18 one-bedroom, one-bath rental units (650 square feet).

* 14 studio, one-bath rental units (450 square feet).

* 4,000 square feet of commercial space on the Fourth Street ground level.

* 2,500 square feet of residential amenities, such as a fitness center, community room, laundry, etc.

* 101 parking spaces, 52 of which are resident-specific.

There will be public parking on the north and south sides and the west side parking will be for residents. The project also includes a pocket park across from Capone's Pub & Grill.

Johnson said the association does not feel the project is a "good fit" for the neighborhood, which is developing into a "cool and funky" neighborhood.

He compared the redevelopment to what happened in economically depressed Garland and Perry districts of Spokane.

Several members of the association also spoke at the meeting and all of them opposed the subsidized housing component of the project.

Meg Sullivan, owner of Kelly's Irish Grill, said she is opposed to rentals and preferred owner-occupied condos in the building.

"There is a pride in ownership," she said.

Johnson said the association would prefer LCDC return to the original proposal for that property, which included a four-story building with owner-occupied condos in place of the rental units and much more retail space. However, they would prefer the project remain three stories.

Board members thanked Johnson for helping to organize the association and welcomed the group's involvement in the process. They encouraged the association members to meet with The Housing Company as well.

"I don't want to see anything forced on the neighborhood," Board Member Brad Jordan said, adding that his vision was never a low-income subsidized housing project. "My vision was rental units, but well-run, well-managed and well taken care of."

Both agreed that there are challenges with the project and Jordan said he would keep an open mind.

Board member Dave Patzer thanked all of the association for getting the discussion started.

"This makes me smile," he said, adding public involvement is important on taxpayer-funded projects.

He also explained how the project has changed several times since 2005 due to the economic downturn, and now the economy has rebounded.

Patzer also said The Housing Company is a responsible company that would be required to maintain the building and manage it for more than 20 years after it is built.

"They are not a one-and-done company," he said while encouraging the association to talk with the developers.

LCDC Chairman Denny Davis said he thinks most of the board would agree with the vision the association has for the property.

"So the challenge is getting the economy to fit with the right project and getting the developer to do it," he said, adding LCDC will have some influence on the development of the property, but it doesn't own all of the property, so its influence is limited.

In the 10 years it has taken to get the project moving, he said, he was glad to see that an association has finally been formed to bring the neighborhood perspective.

"I think that is the positive thing that came out of this," he said. I salute you for that."

The board took no action on the matter, but will continue to work with the group to find a resolution.