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City staff brief Troy planners on 43‑unit riverfront townhome proposal; public hearing set for next meeting
Summary
Staff presented a first reading for a Downtown River Overlay (DRO) request at 518 East Water Street proposing 43 townhomes and two mixed‑use buildings on a 4.2‑acre site. No action was required; staff said the project will proceed to a required public hearing and that river access remains under separate planning tied to a low‑dam removal effort.
Troy planning staff gave a first‑reading briefing on a Downtown River Overlay (DRO) request for 518 East Water Street that would allow 43 single‑family townhomes and two mixed‑use structures on a 4.2‑acre riverfront site. No formal action was required at the meeting; a required public hearing will be scheduled at the commission’s next meeting.
Staff described the proposal as a three‑story townhome block with a rooftop patio level; each floor is shown at approximately 1,290 square feet. The project includes facade variation, bump‑outs, brick and stone detailing, wood trellises, awnings and rooftop components. The design accommodates an elevator shaft in each unit, which staff said leads to a requested height deviation of 41 feet 10 inches where the OR‑1 district permits 40 feet. Side yard setbacks were proposed at 0 feet for parts of the project, consistent with other recent zero‑lot developments.
The plan includes a pickleball court adjacent to the river, sidewalk connections to a private drive and to the two mixed‑use buildings, and a proposed river access connection that staff said is still under negotiation with the developer. When asked whether a decision on public river access would be reached by the next meeting, staff replied, "By the next meeting, probably not." Staff tied the river access work to the ongoing low dam removal project and the Crawford Street corridor efforts, saying the public‑private connection remains under planning.
Staff noted the project aligns with the comprehensive plan and the city’s MKSK downtown riverfront study, which identifies the site for mixed‑use, trail‑oriented development. The staff report identified the DRO criteria that permit the requested deviations for height and setbacks. Staff said the next meeting will host the required public hearing where the commission can take action.
Commissioners asked whether the project would require rezoning to a PD; staff said the property can remain in its current zoning as part of the DRO overlay if the DRO is approved. A question about adjacency to the Van Cleve School building prompted staff to note that, under an agreement with the school, the school property could be cleared by 2027 and that any future phase or complementary development would be considered separately.
Because the briefing was a first reading, no votes or conditions were adopted at the meeting. The public hearing at the next commission meeting will provide an opportunity for public comment and potential action.
