Design team shows three site alternatives centered on hotels, multifamily and parking

Design leads presented site-level alternatives that use three anchors — hotels, multifamily/student-oriented housing and parking — and asked the committee for feedback on circulation, visibility and activation. The team said hotels are high-value anchors because they generate multiple revenue streams, while student housing and townhomes offer different market trade-offs.

"So we're really taking three anchors, really the hotel, multifamily, and parking," one designer said, describing how alternatives place hotel uses on high-visibility sites and multifamily closer to the hill. They noted power-line easements, detention systems, slope and limited site footprints constrain some development types and that some options will require subsidies or significant infrastructure investment.

Designers also suggested near-term, low-cost activation opportunities (kiosks, pop-ups, food trucks) to evaluate market demand before committing to large capital work. Committee members asked for visual maps at the next meeting to clarify boundaries and phasing.