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BEST outlines preliminary plan for roughly 52 workforce-housing units at Sixth and Parade; zoning changes likely
Summary
BEST and partners presented conceptual designs for ~52 workforce-housing units at Sixth & Parade and Sixth & Wallace, stressing early-stage outreach, desire to use Low-Income Tax Credits, and a need for rezoning and neighborhood coordination.
BEST (a neighborhood development nonprofit) presented conceptual plans at the July 1 council meeting for multi-phase workforce housing on the block around Sixth and Parade.
Dr. Marcia Frell, BEST’s executive director, described two proposed buildings: a larger L-shaped, corner building of about 42 one- and two-bedroom units at Sixth and Parade with possible commercial ground-floor space, plus a smaller 10–12 unit building at Sixth and Wallace, for a combined total of roughly 52 units. Architects’ sketches presented to council showed rear parking accessed from alleys and proposed pocket‑park and streetscaping work to preserve neighborhood green space.
"What we're looking at is a very large building, a multi-unit building with one and two bedrooms ... that would be about 42 units," Frell said during the presentation, noting the project is in preliminary stages and that BEST is seeking a co‑developer to pursue Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LITC) dollars for the capital stack.
Father Steven Simon, chair of BEST, told council the organization emphasizes rehabilitation and careful stewardship of neighborhoods: "We have been very careful not to simply knock down and not rebuild," he said, adding BEST aims to leverage nearby waterfront and neighborhood assets to catalyze positive change.
Presenters and councilors agreed the project will require rezoning in places (current parcels include R2 and commercial designations) and noted early outreach — a neighborhood lunch and meetings with adjacent residents — produced largely positive responses. Council members praised BEST’s outreach but urged careful attention to displacement risk and noted any rezoning would require public process and planning-commission review.
No formal vote was required; presenters said they expect to pursue rezoning and funding steps in the next 12–18 months and will return to council as plans and financing are refined.
