New Bloomington building in the works

The Bloomington City Council is still uncertain about the fate of The Village at Tenth & Morton, a new “multi-family” apartment complex proposed for downtown Bloomington.\nCouncil members met Monday night in the Council Chambers at City Hall to hear the proposal for the new 134-bedroom building; but after 4 hours of deliberation, they were still unable to come to a decision.\nThe Village, if approved, would occupy the vacant lot adjacent to a building at Tenth Street and College Ave. To illustrate the structure of the complex, architect Tim Cover brought a detailed 3D model of the building, which council members were invited to study at length to aid in their final decisions. \nThe seven-story building will house approximately 88 units for rent, with two convertible units for prospective office or retail space. The first and second floors will partly house the complex’s 103-space parking garage, with access from Tenth and Morton Streets. \nThe complex will also be gated from the two proposed entrances, ensuring that the largely open court yard interior would remain safe to residents. The plan also calls for a “barbecue pit” and other outdoor activity areas.\n“We wanted to create an atmosphere where people will come out; they’ll see activities, converse, and create a sense of community, a neighborhood within,” said Cover.\nWhat caused the delay in deliberations were the building’s deviations from the city’s Unified Development Ordinance, which were adopted in February this year. Currently, the new complex plans surpass height restrictions and propose use of materials that require “waivers” from the commission, something that caused concern from council members.\n“I don’t want these waivers to be seen as a ‘free pass’,” said Board of Public Works council member Susan Fernandes.\nAlso of concern was the lack of commercial space allotted to potential retailers or businesses.\n“The way it looks, there will be no visual or pedestrian interest from the street level,” City Council representative Chris Sturbaum said. “I’d like to see shops or a cafe with outdoor seating,” he said.\nSince the council failed to reach a decision, further discussion on the project has been moved to the next Council meeting June 4 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.