Although the approval of the Millennial Tower was the biggest news to come out of Tuesday’s Downtown Commission meeting, a project immediately to its south was also on the agenda.
The five-story Matan development, which is planned for the northwest corner of Front and Main streets, was initially approved by the commission in late 2015.
It was brought back because the developer, Lifestyle Communities, wanted to change the material used for a large section of the facade, trading brick for an imitation brick product.
The commission approved the change, although not without expressing some concern.
“There’s no question this is a compromise, not an ideal,” said commissioner Kyle Katz, “and with construction prices rising, we’re going to see more of this (on other approved projects).”
“The operative word is getting it done,” countered commissioner Otto Beatty, “we’ve got to be a little flexible, if you’re in the middle of a $20 million project.”
Lifestyle Communities also requested changes to the design of the building currently under construction at the southwest corner of High and Rich, asking to reduce the height from 10 to nine stories.
The new plan, which was approved by the commission, would replace two floors of large penthouse units at the top of the building with one floor of smaller, more standard-sized apartments. The result will be a net gain in the total number of units.
Also approved at the meeting was the updated proposal for 265 E. State St. That project, from Borror Properties, will feature 220 apartment units above ground-floor commercial space in a six-story building.
Finally, no action was taken on a proposal for an eight-story mixed-use building at 195 E. Main St. Sarah Mackert, of Jonathan Barnes Architecture & Design, said that they would likely return to the commission in two or three months with a more detailed design.