Council approves The Sullivan PD rezoning amid neighbor concerns about parking and safety

The West Lafayette Common Council on Sept. 2 approved a planned-development rezoning for a six-story project called The Sullivan, a proposed apartment building bounded by Fowler, Wiggins, Chauncey and Vine, after more than 30 minutes of presentation and more than an hour of council questions and public comment.

The Sullivan's petitioner, represented by Ryan Munden of RTS Law, described the project as a six-story building with a maximum of 551 beds, 178 parking spaces in a partially below-grade garage and an optional 7,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. Munden said the design uses green panels, limestone and cast-stone masonry with arched windows, includes two interior courtyards, rooftop amenity space and about 200 bicycle parking spaces. Munden told the council that tenants in existing residential buildings on the block had been notified, and that demolition and construction would not begin until existing leases expire in May 2026; he estimated a roughly two-year build timeline with possible delivery in fall 2028.

The project drew questions from councilors about parking ratios, tenant displacement and safety. A councilor identified as Colin asked Munden to repeat the bed and parking figures; Munden confirmed 551 beds and 178 parking spaces, a bed-to-parking ratio of about 0.32 and 200 bicycle parking spaces. Several councilors and public speakers said neighborhood parking already felt saturated. Samantha King, president of the McClure Cooperative Association Alumni Board and a resident directly across Chauncey Avenue from the site, told the council her board welcomed development but urged a traffic and parking study, citing frequent parking conflicts and concerns about nighttime walking safety for students living nearby: "We would really like to propose that a parking and a traffic study is done, due to the safety, street lights, parking. What is going to happen in this area moving forward?"

The West Lafayette Fire Chief (unnamed in the meeting) said the department supported new construction built to modern code over older converted structures because new buildings include improved fire-protection systems, sprinklers and compartmentalization that limit fire spread. Munden said the police department requested access to the building's security camera feeds and that cameras would be integrated into police IT infrastructure as part of the plan-development process.

Council discussion noted trade-offs between adding housing and parking pressure near campus. A councilor speaking for District 1 said the city needs more apartments but expressed concern that parking is "not working well in the more densely populated parts of the city." Munden and others emphasized proximity to campus and the high expected bicycle use as part of the project's transportation assumptions. Munden also confirmed no traffic study was conducted as part of the development plan.

The Area Plan Commission (APC) had voted unanimously to recommend approval of the PD. On the council floor the ordinance (listed in the agenda as Ordinance 309-20-25 / later referenced in the meeting as Ordinance 39-20-25) passed on a roll-call vote: 6 yeas, 1 no, 1 abstention and 1 absent. The council recorded that APC staff and city staff worked on the PD, and Munden said construction would not begin before May 2026 when existing leases end.

The councilor and public comments asked staff and developers to watch neighborhood parking and safety impacts, and asked staff to include bicycle parking information in future project materials. The developer committed to explore purchasing plantings from the city nursery for streetscape improvements.

The ordinance will be incorporated into the Unified Zoning Ordinance amendment as described in the council action. The council’s vote concluded the item; staff and developers will proceed with final permitting steps according to the PD and timeline described at the meeting.