Plan for condos on West Utica shifts to apartment complex

[steven]

A development team that had planned to build condominiums on West Utica Street has changed direction and intends to construct apartments at the site instead.







FJF Development’s revised project calls for 16 apartments split into two buildings, with a driveway between them and garages beneath the living spaces. The property, at 301-311 W. Utica St., is close to Elmwood Avenue.



“I think it fits very well into the neighborhood,” said architect Karl Frizlen.

[Linda_D]

Are the red parts of those buildings supposed to be brick? It sort of looks like the texture of brick, but the color is really awful. Hopefully, the person who did the rendering is partially red-green color blind and the actual color, brick or not, will be more "normal".

On a more serious note, I think that maybe apartments are a better choice. I think there's just a limited market for $250,000+ condos, which is about the cheapest new built condos can be built for these days. Apartments can be built for less because they don't require the same amenities and high-end features that people expect in condos today.

[JoeCitizen]

Part of the problem is that other condos are being built on the waterfront and downtown in the Empire Zones where they don't pay property taxes. It's difficult if not impossible to compete with that.

The developers are all community members that are putting their money where their mouths are and investing and trying to do the right things in the neighborhood.