Developer unveils next downtown redevelopment project

Downtown Plano residents got their first glimpse of what the new building in their neighborhood might look like.

The unnamed project is the subject of a 90-day exclusive, non-binding agreement the Plano City Council signed earlier last month with Pinnacle AMS Development Company to develop a three-acre site on the southeast side of the downtown area.

The development would be located at the southeast corner of 15th Street and I Avenue. It would be surrounded by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit rail to the east and 14th Street to the south. The 200,000-square-foot building would house 200 residential rental units and another 15,000 square feet of commercial space.

If the plan is approved, a four-story, two-tone brick building similar in style and texture to Eastside Village I and II, which also are owned by Pinnacle, would replace Eisenberg Skate Park, a small strip center and Plano Police Department parking.

Thursday night’s presentation was part of the city’s promise to solicit community input before moving forward with the project.

Pinnacle Vice President Ken Plemons said even though the project is not yet named, it would not be called Eastside Village III, in response to previous community input.

The building is “not supposed to look like a 100-year-old building, but it is going to be respectful of historic downtown,” said project architect Gary Martin. “We want to make this an asset to Downtown Plano. We want to make this a place where people will want to work and shop.”

Martian’s initial concept calls for two-stories of retail facing 15th Street, directly across the street from Haggard Park and the Interurban Museum. Because of the land’s uneven terrain, the second story would fall at street level with another level of shops underneath.

Martin said the second story could easily accommodate a restaurant with a patio designed to take in the park views.

The northern elevation would be capped by two stories of residential units.

Directly behind the retail space, facing the train tracks, there would be a series of relatively small, flex-space studio-type units designed to accommodate businesses and residents. Martin said he envisions a C-shaped studio quarter occupied by artists and photographers who want to live and work in a single space.

“We would try to include that in the shopping experience,” Martin said.

Frank Turner, assistant city manager, said, “It’s hard to come by 600-800 square-foot retail spaces. It is a rarity in the market.”

A similarly shaped courtyard occupied by residential units would be built directly behind it, followed by linear row of residential units. The studio quarter and residential spaces would be connected by a boardwalk where pedestrians could stroll between 14th and 15th streets.

The parking garage entrance would be along Avenue I across the street from the Police Department and the Municipal Justice Center where it essentially would be hidden from view. The garage would have two entrances on that street, one for retail and residential parking and another for the Police Department’s dedicated parking garage, Martin said.

A secured parking garage dedicated for police use is part of the initial agreement with the city. The agreement includes storage space for the department.

Residential units will line 14th Street, which takes a sharp curve across the DART tracks, creating poor visibility for businesses. It also backs up to more development that is residential.

“This side needs to be residential,” Martin said. “It’s not a great spot for retail.”

The northeast elevation of the building is more urban in feel with flat roofs and parapets -low walls edging the roof. The roofline would become sloped as it moves west.

This project is part of a goal the City Council set a decade ago to make downtown a pedestrian oriented village, Turner said.

Downtown already houses 40,000 square feet of commercial space, just 10,000 square feet short of the city’s goal. The city also determined that the downtown area could support 1,000 residential units. Adding the proposed 200 apartment to the number of existing apartments and those under construction, the city would be within 100 units of its goal.

While the city has been focusing more attention on sustainability projects, Turner said the city would not demand this building rise to the level of any LEEDs certification, a designation bestowed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

“We’re asking them to incorporate sustainability features, but not necessarily make it LEED,” he said.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) encourages developers to adopt and implement green building practices. Projects are rated on how many green practices they incorporate into the project.

The city wants to make the project as economically feasible as possible to construct and some green features can a price a project out of budget.

However, Plemons said the current building and energy codes require buildings to incorporate resource-saving features. He also said they would explore options such as incorporating native plants in the landscape to reduce water consumption.

The property currently is listed on the tax rolls for less than $2 million. The finished project could raise the value to $20 million or more, Turner has said.

If the plan hits no roadblocks, the project could begin as early as October with completion expected in 18 months.

To comment on this story, visit www.scntx.com. Contact Lynn Proctor Windle at lwindle@acnpapers.com

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