A housing developer’s request to rezone the former Hill Street School met with some opposition from the public, and a negative vote from the Globe Planning and Zoning Commission, during a commission meeting last Wednesday.

Gorman & Company, a Wisconsin-based firm with a Phoenix office, has proposed to rehabilitate the historic school and add a second three-story building to create an affordable senior housing complex with up to 70 units. Their proposal also includes a sidewalk and perpendicular parking spaces along Devereaux Street, east of the school, and a green space in front of the old school.

To do this, they are requesting to apply a Planned Area Development (PAD) overlay to the property. “It’s a custom zoning district, if you will,” City Zoning Administrator  Dana Burkhardt explained to the commissioners. “It allows for unique, creative things.” The proposed PAD would allow multi-family use by right, reduce minimum building setbacks on Hill Street and Maple Avenue, and request no on-site parking.

Sally Schwenn, Arizona market president with Gorman & Company, said they have been in the state for 13 years and built over 1,500 units. This includes the Bowman Senior Residences in Nogales, in a renovated former hotel. Schwenn said they plan to set aside 80 percent of units at the Hill Street School project as affordable housing for senior citizens. The other 20 percent could potentially be market rate or affordable housing, and not necessarily for seniors. Low income housing tax credits will be the project’s primary funding source.

In a public hearing held by the commission a number of community members expressed opposition to the development, mainly over parking and traffic safety concerns. These included the effect of more cars parked on Hill Street – “This would essentially shut my business down,” said Nurd Berger owner Taylor Harrison; whether Devereaux Street was wide enough for both new parking spaces and the safe passage of traffic – particularly from the adjacent high school; the safety of student drivers and apartment residents - the complex, as currently designed, has one elevator for the two buildings; decreased property values in the neighborhood; and already existing affordable housing options in the community - some argued that housing for professionals was a bigger need.

“I like the idea of restoring a historic place. It would be wonderful if they came in here and fixed it up; I could even see 35 units,” said one neighborhood resident, Ed Kuehneman. “Where would you park the cars? Why would you put two buildings in .78 acres [the estimated size of the school property]? There’s not room enough for 70 dwellings in that little triangle, and I think trying to put them there is a really bad idea.”

Cecil Barton, a Hill Street resident, supported the project. “This is something good for Globe, done by experts. I think they’ll solve your problems; I hope those can be resolved,” he said. “I think it will encourage more businesses. I think it will increase the value of my property.”

Some suggested onsite parking in place of a second building, but Schwenn and Senior Project Development Manager Dan Klocke replied that the tax credit funding is tied to number of units. “Most tax credit projects like this are typically 65-70 units,” Klocke said. “It’s going to be very, very challenging to do that,” he replied when asked if this could be reconciled with community concerns over parking.

One of Gorman’s aims is to encourage use of alternate transit, reducing the number of vehicles at the complex, and Burkhardt said the possibility of Gorman providing transport had been discussed.

After the public hearing, the commission entertained a motion by Justin Azevedo – one of three newly appointed commissioners, along with Mary Lowery and Tracy Quick – to recommend that City Council approve the rezoning request, with a stipulation that 10 off-site parking spots be added. The vote was split 3-3,  and the motion failed. Lowery then moved to recommend against the rezoning request as is, and the motion passed 4-2.