Decatur’s Zoning Board of Appeals tabled the 315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue developer’s parking variance request last night so they could “meet with neighbors”, according to the city’s Planning Director Amanda Thompson.

The developer will also withdraw their commercial building approval from tonight’s Planning Commission meeting.

Not sure what made me think of this, but I’m going to go with it.

Back during the battle over 315 West Ponce, when we agonized for weeks over a potential “Building A” that would sit along the West Ponce sidewalk, I proposed a compromise of allowing a restaurant on the first floor of the existing 315 office building and allowing them to use the existing exterior walkway as an outdoor patio.   My thinking went that this would help rejuvenate the space a bit without having to squeeze a new building into the current pocket park.   Of course, the parking issue would rear its ugly head, but if any lot on that street could accommodate restaurant parking, it’s that one.

Anyway, having had this idea resurface in my head this morning, I wondered what other ideas about renovating an existing Decatur building(s) might be out there floating in the ether.

The only “rule” in this thought experiment is that you can’t “build” any new, freestanding structures to make your dream a reality.

Lain points out that the city has just posted a ton of documentation on the 315 W. Ponce development on its website. We’re talking application letters, site plans, design studies, traffic studies, parking studies and working group minutes [all pdfs] It’s like Christmas in July!

For those who haven’t seen these before (like myself), its going to take some time to go through it all. I took a cursory glance at everything and the traffic study especially is quite detailed and therefore very long (38 pages).

I don’t have many observations thus far, except that the buildings look like they will have a nice upscale appearance if the design plans are any indication (Mongomery/W.Ponce) and the site does look kind of cramped. But I guess that can’t be helped with a 10 story pre-existing office tower. Also, from first glance, I’d almost say that Fairview residents might endure greater adverse effect than those on Montgomery that we’re always discussing. A 3-story brownstone across the street seems like a much nicer alternative than a (5 story?) parking deck behind the backyard. But that’s always the hazard of buying next to C-2, I guess.

Lain also reports that at the DDA meeting this morning “the board passed a resolution to approve the project and noted their desire for a parking and traffic contingency plan (in case the shared parking doesn’t work out), research on performance bonds, and approval of the building materials and landscaping designs.” So Scott, at a minimum you were on the same track as the DDA with the parking contingency idea, or perhaps they just flat out took your advice! Either way…great suggestion.

Alright everyone…take a look and lets hear some observations. I’ll certainly be chiming in once I finish the 38 page traffic study.

For those of you chomping at the bit to get your hands on the developer’s plans for 315 W. Ponce, here’s an update from the “Decatur Residents” group…

“The rescheduled meeting for the “working group” has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 18 at 7:00 pm in the conference room at City Hall.

Also just a quick note, in both the city summary and Urban Collage’s notes the size of the property is listed incorrectly. The entire Wachovia property according to Dekalb County Tax Records, the legal description and the property map is actually 4.62 acres not 4.95 acres.”

Perhaps there is more than one land lot involved?

All I know is that if I had a nickel for every little thing that was inaccurate on the DeKalb Tax Records, I’d be able to send my non-existent kids to Paideia.

But they sure are a great resource if you’re looking to see how much your neighbor paid for their house!