Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Timber Lofts Revision topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Developer revises Timber Lofts plan after higher bids; council seeks details on unit mix and SDC buy‑down
Summary
The Timber Lofts project was reduced in height and reconfigured after construction bids came back much higher than expected; the developer plans to keep unit count but convert much of the project to studios, prompting council concern about the loss of retail and changes to the affordable/workforce mix. Staff confirmed the city previously approved a $275,000 SDC buy‑down and will return with revised SDC figures.
A developer update on the Timber Lofts downtown project prompted council concern after staff said the construction bid for the previously approved four‑story project came back nearly double initial estimates.
A representative for the project (Speaker 9) said the developer is reconfiguring the plan to lower building height while retaining roughly the same number of units. The revised proposal would shift the unit mix toward studios — one council member described the result as "more like a dormitory" — and reduce the amount of ground‑floor commercial space staff had earlier envisioned. The developer had previously requested larger SDC support; staff said the city approved an SDC buy‑down of $275,000 and that the developer originally asked for about $600,000.
Council members expressed multiple concerns: several said they did not want to lose retail at the downtown entryway and asked whether the change meant the project would deliver the market‑rate or workforce housing originally discussed. One councilmember said: "We're losing the retail space," and others asked staff to return with detailed unit sizes, market‑rate expectations and a revised SDC buy‑down calculation.
Staff said the project will move forward as a minor alteration through planning, and agreed to return with the revised SDC numbers and additional details about unit sizes and intended tenancy before council makes a final decision on incentives. Staff also said parking counts would remain the same under the new configuration.
Next steps: staff will gather unit‑size schematics, updated SDC calculations and any revised commercial/retail plans and return to council for further review.
