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This property is currently public surface parking lot #19. It is owned by the city of Kalamazoo and under the supervision of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). If the variance is approved, the DDA and City Commission would have to approve the sale of the lot. Sales of city-owned parking assets (which get them back on to the property tax rolls) have been part of the Downtown Kalamazoo Inc./Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership plan for years.
NoMI's building would contain 81 housing units, most or all of which would be permanent, supportive housing. The first floor would contain a lobby, office/reception space, support space, and 4,913 ft² of resident community space. Floors 2 through 10 would each contain 9 apartments: 7 one-bedrooms, 2 two-bedrooms. No on-site parking is provided (it isn't required in the Commercial, Central Business District zone). Building space is so limited that the renderings appear to show floors 2 through 10 overhanging the public sidewalks. The City might need to grant an air rights easement to allow this. NoMI's application does not say whether or not this project will need a PILOT, which requires City Commission approval. Also not stated is whether or not this project needs, has applied for, or been awarded low-income housing tax credits.
Any member of the public is welcome to attend this meeting and speak and ask questions during the public hearing. The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Commission Chambers on the second floor of City Hall at 241 W. South St., next to Bronson Park.
Immediately following that public hearing is a similar one from the same applicant. NoMI wants to build a 64 unit, 5-story apartment building on the private parking lots at 522 and 530 S. Rose St. They need a dimensional variance, because the maximum number of housing units allowed by zoning ordinance in that location is 16. On the ground floor, this building would include 46 on-site parking spaces. Floors 2 through 5 would each contain 6 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments. This would presumably be market-rate housing, as their application says nothing about being low income or supportive housing.
The first item on Thursday's agenda is a request for a rehearing of the KALSEE Credit Union variances that were denied last month.
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