Developers preview 96‑unit East Livingston proposal; commission and neighbors flag scale, massing and parking

Developers seeking to build a four‑story, 96‑unit apartment building at 245–247 East Livingston Avenue presented a conceptual design to the German Village Commission on May 5, 2025, and drew sustained public comment and detailed staff questions about scale, lot coverage, demolition and traffic.

The ownership team — represented by Kareem Amer of Merchand Development and architect George Berardi — described a project that would replace a nonhistoric office building and an underused surface lot with a 96‑unit complex, roughly four stories tall, with 47 parking spaces and a recessed fourth floor along the street-facing elevations. The applicants said the site is well‑served by transit and that the proposal responds to downtown housing demand, nearby hospitals and the city’s updated zoning approach for denser corridors.

Historic Preservation Office staff, who conducted a site visit before the meeting, told the commission that parts of the existing structure likely date to the early 20th century but that the building has been substantially altered through past renovations. Staff recommended the commission treat demolition and new construction as linked items: the commission should review demolition findings and then consider the replacement plan at a later hearing. Staff also flagged that the front elevation now exceeds 40 years in age, which under city code can affect whether a façade is considered contributing…