More change could be on the way for the fast-developing North Fourth Street corridor in Italian Village. Lykens Companies has proposed a three-story, 42-unit residential development with ground floor commercial space for the northwest corner of North Fourth Street and East First Avenue.
The half-acre site is currently home to Spring Cleaners, a one-story garage and a two-story single family home.
The proposal, which was brought to the Italian Village Commission last night for conceptual review, calls for demolishing the three existing buildings and replacing them with two three-story buildings. A corner building would feature about 2,700 square feet of commercial space along with 26 residential units.
A rear building would have 32 parking spaces on the first floor, with 16 apartments above. Additional parking would be provided in a small surface lot in between the two buildings that would be accessed from the existing curb-cut on First Avenue.
Commissioner Jason Sudy said that he expects there to be significant revisions to the site plan based on the initial feedback given last night. Multiple commissioners commented on the plan for access to the site, suggesting that cars should enter the development from the alley, not from First Avenue. Others suggested that the existing single family house may be worth saving.
“Personally, I really like that small brick garage in the back, I think it’s a really cool building,” added Sudy. “I’d be interested in seeing a potential adaptive reuse of that.”
Public records show that an LLC registered to the same address as the Lykens Companies bought the corner lot in May of this year. A separate Lykens-affiliated LLC has controlled the two parcels to the north – 883 and 889 N Fourth – since April of 2013.
In addition to developing the Wonder Bread lofts just to the south, Lykens Companies received approval from the commission earlier this year for the first piece of what will be a multi-phase project surrounding the former Budd Dairy building at 1086 North Fourth Street.
Photos by Brent Warren.
