10/23/03
By SHELLY HASKINS
Times City Editor shaskins@htimes.com
After two weeks of mixed public reaction to plans for a seven-story office complex next to Big Spring International Park, the developer on Wednesday proposed a revised plan it hopes will be more palatable to park lovers.
The plans for the $11 million Big Spring Summit office building, which are to be presented at a public hearing today at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, now include a restaurant and shops on the first floor facing the park's lagoon. The city also now plans a $3.5 million expansion of the parking garage beside Big Spring so the office development wouldn't result in less parking downtown.
Under the original proposal, a bank was the most likely occupant of the first floor of Big Spring Summit, which would face the lagoon on the southeast quadrant of the parking garage across Monroe Street from the Von Braun Center.
"We've had a lot of input, and what we've found out is that people want the opportunity to enjoy the building if it's going to be adjacent to the park," said William Stroud, a principal owner of the developer, Triad Properties.
Stroud said he's talked with four restaurant companies about the new plan, and all are "excited" about the potential. He declined to identify the possible restaurants or characterize the type of restaurant that would locate there, until his deal with the city is done.
Phase two clarified
Stroud, who is requesting a two-year option to add a second office or retail building next to the park closer to the Monroe Street garage entrance, also clarified plans for that 31,000-square-foot space Wednesday. He said Triad would likely build a four-story building to house two or three more restaurants, stores and possibly some park-side loft apartments or condominiums.
City Planning Director Dallas Fanning said Triad's plan would take up only a 10th of 1 percent of park open space, whereas the plan for Electric Avenue the council approved in January 2002 would have encroached on the park by the length of the parking garage and all the way up to the park lagoon.
The Electric Avenue project, which called for nightclubs, restaurants, stores and condominiums, never materialized.
Triad's plan also would provide $116,000 more a year in property taxes, the majority of which would go to schools, and $480,000 in construction-related sales taxes, half going to the city and half to the state, Fanning said.
Triad also would pay the city $23,000 in lease payments each year for the land, plus $65,000 a year in parking space lease payments for the first five years, while buying the air rights above the garage and returning them to the city. The parking space lease payments would increase to $144,000 a year after five years, when the debt for the returned air rights is fulfilled.
Council reaction
Council members were briefed on the revised plans Wednesday.
Council President Mark Russell said he likes the projected tax revenue that would come from the project and believes the building wouldn't overshadow the park too much by being along the edge. Putting a restaurant and retail outlets on the ground floor probably will win favor with some critics, he said. But Russell wants plenty of public comment before committing to a position. He will ask the council to delay voting on any development deal until at least Nov. 13.
Russell said he wants to study Triad's two-year option to see if the city can reject further construction if the office tower mars the park.
Councilman Bill Kling said the restaurant and retail additions will make it easier to sell to the public. Kling also wants to hear from constituents before voting on the plan.
Had the new plan been offered in the first place, Councilman Richard Showers said, it might have stemmed the criticism he's heard since the proposal was introduced at the Oct. 9 council meeting.
"It's going to add to the park," Showers said. "It's going to enhance the park. I'm ready to go with it."
Councilman Glenn Watson said he also likes the new plan better than the first, and he's ready to approve the project tonight.
In contrast, Councilwoman Sandra Moon said this morning she still plans to vote against the project "unless the earth shifts," and the negative public reaction she's heard turns completely positive.
"I don't think that Huntsvillians want this commercial building looming over the park. That's the bottom line," Moon said. In fact, she said, she'd like to see the council consider imposing setbacks to prevent development around the park.
She said the Triad project "is a good project," but "I think it can go elsewhere."
Mayor Loretta Spencer said she is not going to push for a quick vote but wants the public and the council to have time to digest the new plan and form their opinions. Spencer said she thinks the new plan is better and will increase the popularity of the park and spur more development downtown.
Fanning said the city plans to add 5.23 acres to the park by building a bridge and expanding green space across Monroe Street next to the VBC, as a complement to the planned Embassy Suites. The hotel is slated to open in late 2005. The park was also expanded twice in the 1990s, he said.
Garage expansion
City officials have decided since the proposal became public two weeks ago to propose expanding the Monroe Street parking garage where the building would sit by 330 spaces, from 936 spaces to 1,266, for about $3.5 million.
Joe Vallely, the city economic development director, said the city's parking fund has $5.5 million to pay for the garage construction. The money is from the city's sale of a parking garage to Huntsville Hospital three years ago.
Fanning said the new garage space will be needed when the 10-story Embassy Suites opens. Should the Big Spring Summit project be approved, it would open around summer 2005, a few months before the hotel.
Triad will lease 300 spaces in the garage from the city. The city would also be allowed to use those spaces after 6 p.m. and on weekends, providing more parking for VBC events and generating more revenue for the city, Fanning said.
As part of the agreement, Triad would pay $65,000 a year in cash for 150 spaces and would give the city the air rights above the parking garage in exchange for the use of 150 more spots for five years. After five years, it would pay full price to lease all 300 spaces.
Triad has an option to buy the air rights above the garage - reportedly worth several hundred thousand dollars - from Huntsville businessman Jim Hudson.
Times Staff Writer John Peck contributed to this report.
