{Photo by Sharon Aron Baron}
By Bryan Boggiano
As Cornerstone’s south block construction progresses, city officials are giving a glimpse of what the north block offers.
Predesco Properties submitted an updated site plan, prepared by Keen Engineering, showing multiple changes to the initially proposed north block on Aug. 3, which officials released this week after review.
There will be 24,200 square feet of commercial space, a 1,606-square-foot roof terrace, and 370,537 square feet of residential space for 361 units. Commercial space decreased slightly from previous plans, from 27,245 feet. Residential space was also slightly reduced from 365 units to 361 units.
The most recent plans call for 127 one-bedroom units, 22 with one bedroom and a den, 134 two-bedroom units, 22 with two bedrooms and a den, and 14 with three bedrooms.
Plans for the north block also include a 250,566-square-foot common area mainly comprised of the parking garage, loading space, and pump and transformer rooms.
A significant change is that developers no longer plan a box-theater or amphitheater-type entertainment venue.
There are no proposed changes to the south block’s plans, which call for 17,329 square feet of commercial space, 138 Hyatt hotel rooms, a 194,245-square-foot parking garage, 351 residential units, and a rooftop bar.
Of the residential units, 138 will have one bedroom. An additional 170 will have two bedrooms, while 43 will have three.
City officials discussed this at the Aug. 31 commission retreat, drawing criticism from most of the commission.
Mayor Scott Brook said that losing the entertainment space was disappointing.
He continued, stating that the city should try to reach out to retailers such as Dave & Busters and House of Blues, adding that filling in the entertainment gap is necessary to fulfill the vision of a downtown gathering place and expand the tax base.
On a personal note, he said that he wants his son to be able to move down here with his family, and downtown will either be a “big push or pull factor.”
He also called for an additional joint Community Redevelopment Agency-City Commission meeting, similar to the one in March.
Vice Mayor Joshua Simmons also expressed disappointment with the project, stating that losing the entertainment element was a missed opportunity.
“Cornerstone got away from us,” he said. “What we don’t want to happen is everything getting away from us.”
Commissioner Shawn Cerra stated that if Cornerstone has no big draw, residents will feel the commission let them down. He also wanted to know updates about businesses that would be at Cornerstone.
In response, Economic Development Office Director Kristi Bartlett said that while north block plans have changed immensely since 2019, the city will hold developers accountable for how they use the space.
She also stated that while businesses have signed letters of intent to establish themselves in Cornerstone, the city cannot make those announcements until everything is official.
“We want to put this information out,” Bartlett said. “There is an element of frustration, but we hope to make some exciting announcements soon.”
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