In response to criticism from residents, developers of the Village Center in downtown Riverside have petitioned the village to let them revise the design of the building’s corner tower so that it becomes a dominant feature of the facade.
The village’s Plan Commission met in a special session last night after press time to discuss an amendment to the zoning code, which would allow towers in the business district to rise 10 feet above the ridge line of a building. A further amendment would allow towers more than 10 feet over height restrictions to be allowed as a special use. The new Village Center tower would need a special use permit to be built.
The village board will likely address the Plan Commission’s recommendation on the text amendment and special use request at its meeting on Sept. 17.
New plans call for the roof of the corner tower to rise to a height of roughly 54 feet, some eight feet higher than the previously approved plans that restricted the height of the tower to just under three feet above the roof line. Some residents complained that the relatively flat roof of the corner tower made it look unfinished. Indeed, the building’s fourth-floor dormers rose higher than the roof of the tower, the feature that anchors the west and south facades.
“There seemed to be some sort of community discussion or debate regarding the tower,” said Nick Mlade, one of two developers who own the property. “When we did the elevations, we suggested a tower much like the one being proposed, but it got mixed up with the height of the building and the formula we got allowed the [shorter] tower.
“Now when it’s being built, people are not only saying ‘no’ but ‘hell no.'”
When architects first unveiled plans for the Village Center back in 2004, the design called for a pair of 55-foot tall towers anchoring the west facade. When the village board voted down that plan, the developers returned with a tower-less plan that was also rejected.
In its third incarnation, an octagonal tower anchored the southwest corner of the building, but was topped by a shallow three-foot roof. Although the tower design received criticism at the time for being too timid, developers took a pass on obtaining a variance for a higher tower after being told that would mean heading through another arduous zoning process. The village board gave the green light for construction in late 2005.
While the zoning amendment and special use permit will allow developers a quicker resolution to their design problem, Mlade expressed frustration that he and his partner, Harry Liesenfelt, had to expend more time and money to get approval for something they had originally intended.
“It’s costing us a lot of money to do what we wanted to do in the first place,” Mlade said. “I’m sorry it’s coming so late.”
Despite an additional $10,000 to $20,000 to make the taller tower a reality, according to Mlade, he said the expense will be worth it in the long run.
“We’re prepared to pay the additional cost, because we agree with [critics] of the current design,” Mlade said. “It’ll look 100 percent better.”
Mlade said that a model unit should be ready for prospective buyers to view within the next two months. He added that of the 22 condominium units in the development eight have been sold. Of the three commercial spaces on the first floor, one has been leased.
No brick sidewalks allowed
Meanwhile, the Riverside village board at a special meeting Monday night gave no support for brick paver sidewalks extending from the Village Center to the curb line. Developers sought the pavers, but the village board indicated that it would not support deviating from the village code, which calls for aggregate cement sidewalks in the business district.
Developers indicated that they still may seek the use of brick pavers in the five-foot setback between the public right of way and the building itself. That issue will have to be sorted out with the village’s Building Department.