COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The City of Coldwater Planning Commission is scheduled to go over a preliminary site plan and a Special Use Permit during a public hearing Monday night for a proposed 50 unit apartment complex that would be constructed in the Milnes Plaza parking lot.
City Planning Director Dean Walrack says in his staff report that the site plan for “The Lofts at Milnes Plaza” is preliminary and is necessary for Spire Development of Columbus, Ohio to seek development incentives from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Walrack says final site planning will be coordinated with City of Coldwater and Coldwater B.P.U. staff before any construction takes place.
Monday’s Planning Commission meeting is one of several hurdles that have to be cleared before the project becomes a reality.
While some have said there need to be more people living in the downtown area, others have raised concerns about the effect the proposed development would have on parking in the plaza and whether or not such a multi-family residential complex would be appropriate in the Milnes Plaza.
The Coldwater City Council last Monday approved the introduction of a draft agreement between the city and Spire Development for the sale of the Milnes Plaza parking lot.
One of the contingencies is that the developers have to get funding from the MSHDA. An application has to be submitted by April 2nd. Final action by the City Council is scheduled for March 26th, 2018.
The proposed project got a cold shoulder from the Planning Commission last September but it has come back for consideration after the City Council adopted an addition to the city zoning ordinance which would allow multi family residential uses within the C-2 Central Business District.
City Manager Keith Baker told the Coldwater Downtown Development Authority board recently that the site plan is still the same but now there are 50 units instead of the previous amount of 41.
Of the 50 units, 32 would be two bedrooms, 11 would have one bedroom while the other seven would have three bedrooms.
The former Taylor’s Stationers building would not be included in the project.
