Plan commission recommends approval of Polk Street Residences, 275‑unit downtown apartment

The Richardson City Plan Commission on Jan. 7 recommended approval of zoning file 24‑31, a special development plan for Polk Street Residences, a proposed 275‑unit multifamily development on two blocks immediately south of Polk Street and north of Kaufman Street in downtown Richardson.

The commission’s recommendation, which will go to City Council for final action, came after staff and the applicant described a project that would redevelop roughly 3 acres between Texas Street and Greenville Avenue with a wrap‑style apartment building, structured parking and new streetscape improvements. The motion passed on a 6–1 vote; Commissioner Roberts recorded the lone opposing vote.

City staff told the commission the site is part of the Main Street Central Expressway plan development (PD) and within the Main Street Subdistrict. Staff said the city’s 2016 PD, follow‑up design work by Kevin Sloan and the 2024 Envision Richardson comprehensive plan update designate this area for neighborhood‑mixed use and higher downtown residential density.

The developer, represented by Joel Barrons of Trammell Crow Company and project lead Kevin Hickman, described a concept with a roughly 4‑story residential building wrapping a parking garage and internal courtyards. The applicant said the project would provide 275 dwelling units (about 91 units per acre), an average unit size near 855 square feet, 413 parking spaces (1.5 spaces per unit), roughly 12,000 square feet of amenity space and about 16,000 square feet of open space.

Because multifamily is allowed in the subdistrict by right, the application requests exceptions through the special development plan process for…