Commission approves 7-story Boulevard Place with landscaping condition

The Downtown Design Commission voted Jan. 15 to approve Boulevard Place, a 7-story, 262-unit apartment building at 20 West Oklahoma City Boulevard, subject to a landscaping resubmittal and related conditions.

Senior planner Michael Filbrick told the commission the project proposes limited use of fiber cement panels on multiple elevations and no nonresidential space on the first floor despite a retail-priority designation for the streets. Filbrick said prior approval on the site had expired and that staff had worked with the applicant on stoop entries, balcony activation and materials. He also told commissioners that a noticing glitch meant not every item in the staff report could be acted on at today’s meeting.

John Sentner, representing Ocura and developer RoseRock, described the project as bringing "262 multifamily units" to the site, with stoop access for first-floor units and balconies on all units to increase pedestrian activation. Commissioners discussed use of Hardie/fiber cement, EFIS, brick base, street trees and lighting; several members praised the project’s increased pedestrian porosity.

A commissioner moved to approve the items the commission could legally act on and to require the applicant to resubmit a landscaping plan incorporating the meeting's species discussion; another commissioner seconded and the motion passed. One commissioner then recused for the next agenda item.