Site Development

This is a summary of the staff report.

The development is a 13.8-acre parcel zoned PUD (Planned Unit Development) to allow the development of a mixed-use project containing:

• 96 attached residential units,
• a parking garage and surface parking lots,
• 8,200 square feet of retail,
• 5,600 square feet of restaurant uses,
• 148 room hotel,
• minimum of six contiguous acres of public open space.

The site plan depicts the 96 dwelling units in four six-story buildings with a two-story parking deck attached. The retail space will be divided between two detached buildings.

Transportation and Parking

Several surface parking lots are also proposed to provide for the retail, restaurant and recreational amenities.

A new traffic signal will be added to the intersection of this driveway and Broadway Street. A center turning lane will be created by adjusting lane markings with a slight adjustment of the pavement area. The structural elements of the bridge will not be modified; however, the sidewalk will be shifted slightly to accommodate the new lane widths.

Recreation

The development proposes outdoor recreation and open space on at least six acres of the site. Recreation opportunities are publicly available but managed privately by the Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy. Amenities will include:

• ice rink,
• interactive water feature,
• benches and tables,
• a link to the Border to Border trail,
• non-motorized watercraft launch area and canoe/kayak rental area.

Any canoe/kayak rental facility will be operated at the discretion of the City of Ann Arbor. A pavilion and concession building is proposed in the recreation area.

1915: The Huron River was re-routed from the middle of this site to its current location in 1915.

Early 20th century: The site was used by the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company (MichCon) as a coal gasification facility in the early part of the 20th century that contaminated the soils.

2012: DTE Energy removed contaminated soil in some locations of the site. The work required the removal of landmark trees along the riverbank in order to remove contaminated soil underneath them. The work and the resulting disturbance to the protected Natural Features (landmark trees, river buffer) on the site required approval from the Planning Commission.

The work also triggered the need for a storm water detention system to be provided on the site. At that time since no development was proposed, it was agreed that leaving the existing impervious surfaces would continue to provide a cap on top of the contaminated soils that remained after initial remediation. The plan was consistent with Part 201 of the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.

May 15, 2012: The Planning Commission approved the natural features disturbance plan contingent upon a variance granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) from providing required storm water detention on the site.

May 23, 2012: The ZBA granted the requested variance.

July 1, 2019: The City Council approved the Area Plan and PUD rezoning for the subject parcel. This approval set the parameters for development of the site.

October 19, 2019: Developer held a neighborhood meeting at University of Michigan’s Palmer Commons. To read the meeting minutes, please visit stream.a2gov.org to search plan number SP24-0003 and the document titled "841-Broadway-St-citizen_v1.pdf."