Developer lays out mixed‑use plan for News‑Press site; council tells staff to continue negotiations

Joe Benora of Catalyst Community Development presented a conceptual master plan for the News‑Press site, saying the project is intended as a “catalyst” for Midtown with a mix of residences, retail, office and hospitality uses. He described an initial phase of 300–350 apartments within a longer build‑out of roughly 450–500 residential units, 100–150,000 square feet of Class A office, 25,000–40,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail and a 24,000‑square‑foot grocery, plus a 140–180‑key hotel. Benora told council the site layout emphasizes mid‑rise massing (4–6 stories), wrapped parking garages and a central pedestrian plaza for programming and markets.

Benora said his pro‑forma assumes about $1,000,000 per acre for the net acreage the developer would acquire after the city retains roughly 2.5 acres; he also noted demolition and environmental clearing could add roughly $500,000–$1,000,000 to initial site costs. “This will be a true mixed use project,” Benora said, laying out the program and a rough 52‑week timeline from detailed design to closing subject to PUD approval. Council members questioned purchase price comparisons and whether a fresh appraisal should be obtained; several members urged the developer to explore how workforce or affordable housing might be incorporated without imperiling financing and execution timelines.

Council discussion focused on price, affordable‑housing tradeoffs, traffic impacts and grocery recruitment. Multiple councilors signaled interest in the concept but emphasized the need for more detailed valuations, traffic and financing work before committing incentives. The council gave the city manager direction to continue negotiations with the developer and return with follow‑up information rather than taking any immediate formal vote.