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Abilene board approves variance to convert historic downtown building into 49 apartments
Summary
The City of Abilene Board of Adjustments voted unanimously to grant a variance allowing the redevelopment of 301 Cypress Street into a 49-unit multifamily building after staff and developers cited the building's historic footprint as an undue hardship under current density limits.
The City of Abilene Board of Adjustments voted unanimously Aug. 12 to approve a variance for BA-2025-06 allowing the redevelopment of 301 Cypress Street into 49 multifamily apartments.
Staff presented the request and said the property is zoned Central Business and that the city's multifamily standard limits density to 24 dwelling units per acre. Mason Teagarden, planning manager for the City of Abilene, told the board that staff reviewed the application under “section 1.4 0.4 0.2 d of the land development code” and concluded “the existing footprint of the site, the historic rehabilitation standards, and the overall size of the existing building creates an undue hardship.”
The applicant, Overland Property Group, described plans to restore the historic building and include commercial space on part of the ground floor. April Engstrom of Overland Property Group said, “We’ve received a lot of support from our neighbors downtown and from the downtown association.” She also told the board the developer and Hendrick Health had discussed leasing some market-rate units to hospital staff.
Brad Benham of Hendrick Health spoke in favor of the project, citing the developer’s prior downtown rehabilitation work. Benham said, “to find a group that wants to kinda restore the historic value while also bringing housing to Abilene, I think is a is a good thing for Abilene.” He added the building has been vacant for about two years and noted the redevelopment would contribute to downtown activity.
Board members asked practical questions about parking and building height. Teagarden said there is an existing parking lot and that even with 49 units the project “would still be compliant and sufficient.” The redevelopment will include seven stories, with commercial uses on part of the ground floor, according to public remarks.
Under the board’s procedural rules noted at the meeting, the Board of Adjustments has five members and requires four favorable votes to approve a request. The board recorded five yes votes: Whitlock, Rixie, Donaway, Sparks and Laddermill, and the chair announced, “And the motion carries.” The board also noted that if a special exception or variance is granted, the applicant has 180 days from the date of approval to obtain a building permit if one is required, and appeals must be filed in a court of record within 10 days.
The board received three written notifications in favor and none in opposition from property owners within the 200-foot notice area, according to staff. Teagarden told the board the city is rewriting the land development code and will revisit standards for the Central Business District in that process.
The variance approval clears a zoning hurdle for the developer to begin rehabilitation and conversion work, subject to standard permitting and any other approvals required after the hearing.
