Redevelopment Commission approves South Anchor mixed‑use project after designers add underground parking and lower Ash Street heights

The Redevelopment Commission voted to approve DR25‑24, the South Anchor project at Gilbert and Elliott roads, after the applicant revised designs to add subterranean parking, increase total parking, and reduce Ash Street heights to better match nearby residential context.

Lede: The approved plan covers approximately 2.8 acres at the northwest corner of Gilbert and Elliott roads. The development agreement requires at least 14,600 square feet of active commercial along Gilbert and Elliott, between 175 and 203 residential units, and construction of a parking structure with a minimum parking count; commissioners approved the developer’s revised site plan, which now proposes 176 residential units and approximately 393 parking spaces, including a below‑grade parking level.

Why it matters: the site is a southern gateway to the Heritage District and the development agreement establishes detailed design and programmatic expectations (commercial frontage, brownstone street character, public parking). The project had previously drawn criticism for a visible garage facade; the team redesigned the garage as below grade and wrapped the multifamily massing to improve Gilbert Road frontage.

Key terms from the development agreement and the approved plan - Active commercial: 14,600 square feet required along Gilbert and Elliott Roads. - Residential: a required range in the development agreement of 175–203 units; the approved plan proposes 176 units. - Parking: development agreement required a minimum of 287 stalls; the approved design provides approximately 393 spaces and includes 260 below‑grade spaces. Staff noted the applicant is exceeding the required public parking in the development agreement by providing additional stalls beyond the residential requirement. - Brownstone character: the development agreement requires a brownstone‑style west elevation along certain frontages; staff and the applicant worked to add stoops, brick bases and material variation to satisfy that requirement.

What changed from earlier submittals The most consequential revision was moving much of the parking below grade and wrapping the above‑grade facades with residential massing and variation to reduce the visual impact of the garage along Gilbert Road. The Ash Street frontage was reduced to three stories adjacent to Lacey Tract residences. Staff required additional material diversity and included conditions in the staff report asking the applicant to adjust brick and other material placement to avoid a regimented pattern.

Public comment and applicant response Public speakers included residents and long‑time property owners who supported careful design and asked that downtown character and community input be preserved. One commenter urged that substantial changes to the redevelopment plan be considered through the formal redevelopment‑plan amendment process; another provided historical context for the Lacey Tract. The applicant acknowledged a mislabeled material callout on one exhibit (stucco mislabeled near an elevation that appears to be brick) and committed to correct the drawing and to continue refining materials per staff conditions.

Decision and motions At the end of the public hearing, a commissioner moved to approve DR25‑24 South Anchor and a second was recorded on the record. The motion passed; the commission found that the revised design met the applicable development agreement terms and the Heritage District design guidelines with the conditions included in staff’s report.

Discussion vs. decision Discussion — commissioners and members of the public discussed materials, the brownstone requirement for Ash Street, rooftop signage options, and whether parking and signage would be managed as public vs. private spaces. Direction/assignment — conditions in the approval require the applicant to increase material variety along Gilbert Road, to use the preferred Ash Street elevation pattern (staff preferred “option 2”), and to provide corrected exhibit labels and additional engineering details for subterranean parking and drainage. Decision — DR25‑24 approved by the Redevelopment Commission.

What to watch for Follow‑through on the staff conditions: revised elevations showing redistributed brick, clear labeling of materials on exhibits, confirmatory engineering for the below‑grade parking, clarification of how the required additional public parking stalls will be managed (reserved vs. shared), and any subsequent sign permit requests for a rooftop or hard‑corner welcome sign.