Proposed apartments raise concern

Residents living near the corner of Seventh and Lincoln Streets will have to do more walking starting in August 2002. Construction of a four-floor apartment complex is planned and will begin, assuming approval by the Bloomington Board of Zoning Appeals. The new building would make parking at the intersection scarce.\nWith construction of the building, the Bloomington Common Council would accomplish its goal of increasing the density overlay of the downtown area. The hope of the city council is that the increased population would attract businesses to the downtown area, which would mean an increase in the services, grocery stores and shops downtown and thus within walking distance. The goal is to decrease the need to park in the area, which would eliminate the problem of scarce parking.\nPavilion Properties owns the property and wants to demolish the 10-unit apartment building and four-unit house that currently occupy the land in order to build the new complex.\nMark Hoffman of Pavilion Properties said this would be a worthwhile investment for Bloomington.\n"We need to build the structures to support the people," Hoffman said. "A project like this brings people back to Bloomington. If we have more housing, the parking issue, although not immediately, will be eliminated."\nThe Bloomington Board of Zoning Appeals met Thursday night to decide whether or not to approve the project into its final stage, during which discussion of parking would occur. The board voted unanimously for the project to go forward contingent upon discussion of parking issues.\nGavin D. Meek, pastor at First Presbyterian Church, 221 E. Sixth St., spoke of the problems this new building would create for the church.\n"If this project goes forward, it will force this congregation to re-think its presence downtown," Meek said.\nAccompanying Meek were more than 30 of his congregants supporting his view.\n"This building is a fine structure with fine people heading the project," Meek said. "Our concern is not with them. Our concern is for the very limited parking that we already have a problem with."\nPavilion Properties amended the building's planning design to decrease from 29 to 28 units, a change that would limit the bedroom count to 36. The building would then have a maximum occupancy rate of 70.\nA dentist located next to the proposed building plot spoke of her and her husband's discontent with having a four-story building two feet from their property line.\nOther supporters of the project included junior Chip Patterson. Patterson said he would like to live in the apartment complex because of its proximity to campus.\n"I feel student housing in downtown areas is becoming limited," Patterson said. "And this will attract a lot of IU students."\nOverall, the project proposes to increase the population and inspire business in downtown Bloomington, Hoffman said.\n"People need to be educated that they don't need to drive everywhere," Hoffman said. "The increase in business population will lead to fewer cars and a more prosperous downtown"