‘Bait and switch’? Plans for apartments near UK questioned after developer’s changes
Developers of a six-story apartment complex near the University of Kentucky campus have agreed to review designs for the building after several Lexington planning commission members raised questions Thursday about changes to the final plans for a controversial student housing complex on West High Street.
The Lexington Urban County Planning Commission approved a zone change for several properties on East Maxwell Street, between Stone Street and Lexington Avenue, in December 2023 for a new apartment building geared toward UK students. Stavroff Land and Development’s proposal includes 238 units.
At the time the development was approved — despite pushback from neighbors — the developers presented a rendering of the project that showed a building with large windows, varying types of facades and six town homes on the Stone Street side with doors into the property.
Those design elements were to break up the size of the building.
The preliminary development plan has to be approved at the time of the zone change. Developers then must return to the commission with a final development plan. If there are substantial changes between the preliminary and final design, the commission can deny the final development plan.
And on Thursday, when the final plan was shown to the planning commission, developers presented a new rendering of the building that showed fewer windows, removed the six town homes on the Stone Street side and deleted third-story balconies that helped break up the mass of the building.
Jon Woodall, a lawyer for the developers, said the changes to the building were necessary after Kentucky Utilities alerted the developers the utility needed a 20-foot easement on the Stone and East Maxwell street sides was necessary.
That meant the entire building had to be pushed back. The six town homes on the Stone Street side were no longer feasible. The new plans showed five entrances into apartments on the Stone Street side.
Moreover, the design — particularly window placement — changed after architects designed the interior. The windows and the window spacing changed to match the interior apartments, the developers said Thursday.
Still, neighbors and some planning commission members said the final and preliminary designs were too far apart.
“This is bait and switch,” said Maureen Peters, who has a home nearby.
The plans call for the demolition of multiple homes in the area currently used for student housing. The location of the new multi-story apartment complex has been controversial. In 2019, a zone change for a larger apartment complex proposed by a different developer, was denied by the planning commission.
Planning Commissioner Graham Pohl, who is an architect, agreed with Peters.
“I am really troubled with what I’m seeing now. I think it’s a gigantic step down,” Pohl said.
Woodall and the developers eventually agreed to tweak the final plans and return to the planning commission on Jan. 16.
This story was originally published December 13, 2024 at 9:02 AM.
