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HARC sends hotel plans back to drawing board
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
keysnews.com
KEY WEST — The
city's Historic Architectural Review Commission sent the developers of a
32-unit condominium project in Old Town back to the drawing board
Tuesday night because the buildings are too tall and out of scale with
the neighborhood, commissioners said.
Development
company Caroline Street Partners is proposing short-term rental
condominiums at the site of Jabour's Campground and Trailer Park at 223
Elizabeth St. The property owners and developers have been embroiled for
years in legal battles with the city, the state and with Old Town
neighbors over the number of units allowed on the site.
Last week, the
city commission approved a settlement agreement that allows 32
short-term rentals on the property, and the transfer of building rights
for 48 additional units to other locations. The city previously had
agreed to allow 101 rentals at the Jabour's property, but two resident
groups and the state Department of Community Affairs challenged that
agreement.
Caroline
Street Partners is proposing to build two-bedroom, three-bath units with
accessory living rooms that neighbors fear could be used as a third
bedrooms. The site plan includes four 42-foot-high buildings that are 3
1/2 stories over parking. However, the city limits building height to 2
1/2 over parking, totally no more than 40 feet.
Caroline
Street Partners attorney Jim Hendrick told the commission that the
neighboring Calleja property was at least 3 stories over parking, but
architectural designs refuted the claims and showed the building is only
2 1/2 over parking. That building, recently approved by HARC, is a
historic structure that is being moved and remodeled.
Representatives of Caroline Street Partners who spoke at the meeting
said the building has to be 42 feet tall to house the 32 proposed units
at their current size, in order to keep the project financially
feasible.
tohara@keysnews.com |
