The Alberta

Last night, the Board discussed the Alberta project, a mixed-use, four story building on the old farmer’s market site on Roberson St. The site is currently the parking lot for Carr Mill employees and will retain that use in the future.

The board was in agreement on a number of key points:
-that affordable housing should be built on site rather than the developer’s request only to provide a payment-in-lieu;
-that sidewalks adjacent to public streets should become part of the public right of way;
-that traffic calming measures should be applied on the road section connecting Carr Street to Sweet Bay Place and that a bike/ped easement be established there;
-and that construction traffic should enter the property from Sweet Bay rather than Carr.

If the developer comes back next Tuesday in agreement with those points it is expected that we will grant the requested rezoning and permit.

This project would be the third new building downtown that we will have approved over the past year or so. The other two, one on Lloyd St and one on E. Main St., are entirely commercial and locally owned. The Alberta is owned by the Maryland-based group that owns Carr Mill, but they are using a local designer.

Although the Board and advisory boards have worked hard in reviewing and fine-tuning of these projects, much credit goes to those who earlier in the decade worked out the ordinances and policies which encourage this sort of development downtown, and also to the business-owners and residents who make downtown a lively and attractive place for such projects.