Last night at the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association (FHNA) meeting, Community Realty Company (CRC) and its development team presented plans for a new apartment building at Harbor Hill Apartments. Douglas Erdman of CRC was joined by architect Peter Fillet of Fillat+ Architecture, Tony Corteal of the STV engineering firm, a representative from CBG Building Company LLC, and David Karceski of the Venable LLP law firm.
Harbor Hill, which was once the home of Southern High School, is a 74-unit apartment complex located at 301 Warren Ave. across from Federal Hill Park. CRC is proposing a new four- or five-story, 62-unit apartment building in the rear parking lot on Riverside Ave. between Hamburg St. and Grindall St. An existing parking lot between Lanasa Ln. and Harbor Hill will remain. The new building will include two levels of underground parking.
The building will contain one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments that are described as larger than most apartments in the area with up to 1,600 sq. ft. of space. A top-level community room leading to a rooftop terrace will be constructed. CRC is also proposing a new pool and outdoor patio to be constructed behind the eastern section of the existing building. The old and new building will be connected by a skywalk and the new underground parking will serve both buildings. The garage will be accessible from Hamburg St.
Harbor Hill currently has a 1.4 apartment-to-parking space ratio. It would have a 1.2 ratio after the expansion. The current zoning code requires a ratio of one. Erdman said existing tenants at Harbor Hill would be provided valet parking to a different parking lot while construction is underway.
The new building will be designed to look like rowhomes along Riverside Ave. and Grindall St. First-floor apartments will have stoops, planters, and front door entrances. The building will likely be brick with several other materials, but the design is currently in the early stages. It will also have a green roof.
CRC is looking into two options for the height of the building: 1.) a four-story building at 45 ft. that is allowed within the zoning code, and 2.) a five-story building at 53 ft. which would require a zoning variance. In the second option, CRC is proposing two-story lofts on the fourth floor. CRC is also requesting a variance for a rear yard setback.
Meeting attendees, which included residents of Harbor Hill, raised some concerns. One of the concerns was the bedroom-to-parking ratio. Erdman noted the complex currently has more parking spaces than needed and Fillat said adding another floor of parking and renting out additional spaces to community could be something to consider, but that parking garage costs have been higher than expected. Concerns were also expressed about the building’s density and effect on natural light patterns.
This was CRC’s first meeting with FHNA and the team will return in coming months for approvals. CRC is hoping to start construction in about a year and a half and expects construction to take 18 to 20 months.
Rendering Courtesy of STV
Renderings Courtesy of Fillat+ Architecture
via http://southbmore.com/2016/11/16/new-apartment-building-proposed-at-harbor-hill-apartments-in-federal-hill/
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