The Convention Center Hotel project, under agenda item DB2 24-0999, was a focal point with extensive debate over the proposed modifications to previously approved plans. The discussion centered on variances from ground floor setback requirements along Convention Center Drive and 17th Street. The hotel, planned to stand at 185 feet, is envisioned to include ground-level retail, parking deck, multiple ballrooms, meeting spaces, an amenity deck, and hotel rooms on higher levels. Board members evaluated the impact of the revised design on the pedestrian realm and the enhancements to the Welcome Center. The applicant underscored the project as a development poised to elevate the city’s convention business. The board considered staff’s support for the proposed modifications due to the challenges of developing a large structure without support columns.

The proposed five-story multifamily building on Bay Drive also commanded attention as the applicant presented design changes based on feedback, such as modifications to the color palette, transparency, and scale. The board expressed satisfaction with the revisions made to the building, which included internalizing accessible parking spaces, reducing Hardscape in the front, and adding landscaping. Additionally, the project faced a variance request to reduce the width of a two-way interior drive aisle, which was supported by staff despite recommendations for the building to be moved closer to the front yard setback. The board ultimately passed a motion to approve the proposal with specific conditions, including changes to the facade and the addition of green elements to minor facade components.

Other projects discussed included a new three-story commercial building, which involved waivers from the long Frontage standards and a variance from the maximum width of entrance and exit drives. The board approved the project with conditions that aimed to improve pedestrian safety and the aesthetic of the building’s back-of-house area on 19th Street.

The meeting also saw deliberations over a proposed grocery store and Wells Fargo bank on Alton Road, where the board weighed waivers and variances concerning the project’s internal layout, display placement, and driveway width. High-quality roll-down doors for loading areas, reduced driveway width, and minimized lighting impacts on adjacent residential properties were among the conditions proposed by the board.

A proposed home design, which sought to minimize impact on neighbors and address the challenges of the property layout, was also part of the discussions. The board heard concerns from area residents about the notification period and opposition to the height variances being granted. Despite these concerns, the board approved the project with conditions related to the design and setback.

In regards to the design of new residential constructions, the board examined the appropriateness of height waivers, setbacks, and the overall design’s compliance with neighborhood context and regulations. One notable discussion involved a waiver request for a property that exceeded the requirement for a notch in the building’s design to break up the mass. The board grappled with the debate on the necessity and impact of the waiver on the design and neighboring properties.