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Villa DeLeon

Uptown Residential Samuels Avenue Condominiums New Construction

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#251 Dismuke

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Posted 17 November 2010 - 09:45 PM

But every month that goes by without a single unit of out 84 selling the more noteworthy and remarkable the fact becomes - something far more significant than merely "disappointing" sales.



Out of curiosity, I looked up the development's website. There I quickly realized that I totally misread the Star-Telegram article. There are actually 23 unitis in Villa DeLeon - not 84. 84 is the number of downtown condos and townhouses the Star-Telegram says were for sale in October.
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#252 eastfwther

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Posted 20 November 2010 - 12:48 PM

800 or more very nice, quite high-end apartments, to be fair.

I don't think the presence of Lincoln's projects is the key to this. There are super-posh condos/townhomes mixed in with apartments across the country, including here in Texas (heck, including here in Fort Worth) that do fine. It's an urban neighborhood - you're going to be in a mix of housing types. That's the point, after all.

Nasty economy + expensive units is enough.

I don't totally agree. High dollar condo/townhomes mixed with rentals can work, but the concept tends to work better in cities with really high density urban
neighborhoods. You have to remember, luxury and high end apartments in this area are only luxury until they age a bit, and new luxury apartments are built down the the street. Rental neighborhoods can flip on a dime and that can be a concern for a wealthy buyer. Vjackson is correct. Pricing for condos in neighborhoods like this is the key and VDL was priced way to high for the neighborhood. I own a unit in a new condo building in the Oak Lawn section of Dallas, and one in Dallas' Uptown neighborhood right on Mckinney Avenue, both built within the last few years. Both buildings have lots of rental apartments around them..and both buildings are sold out. The main reason they've done so well is simply the target buyer for both of these nicely finished out and well built buildings were RENTERS in the area. I really don't believe people here dropping almost a million dollars on a condo desire to live across from a huge amount of renters (regardless of how nice they are) that could never afford to live in their building. In Dallas, for instance, high dollar condos (and/or townhomes) are: (a)in highrises with little interaction with the neighborhood around them, (b)attached to luxury hotels, ©located in or adjacent to exclusive residential single-family neighborhoods. And it's pretty much the same way in other sunbelt cities. The condo market is still new here and people renting apartments downtown are often the most likely to buy downtown. VDL was stupid to not go after those people. It seems to me the developer was expecting people to leave their mcmansions in Southlake, pack up and plop down almost a million bucks to live in a "diamond in the rough" neighborhood, smack in the middle of a bunch of rental properties that may or may not be as desireable in ten years. It was a gamble that simply didn't pay off.

#253 David Love

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Posted 21 November 2010 - 11:34 AM

Wouldn't you consider a strictly "for sale" condo / townhouse neighborhood mixed use, when it comes to owner renter occupancy? You wind up with a mix of owners, renters no matter what; sections strictly for rent just ensures you're going to have a concrete minimum percentage of renters in the community.

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#254 redhead

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 10:57 PM

It was a "gamble" in the making since 2006. Lincoln I was practically under contract, meaning that the neighborhood would have been predominately owned, not rented. However, we were 12 years into a 7 year cycle when the bottom fell out. VDL is actually leasing, and probably has the has the highest $ per foot lease rate in Tarrant County---hell, maybe Dallas County, too. Three new tenants in the last 30 days and two units in serious discussion to go under contract. Unfortunately, when dealing with a project with this type of lead time, the market conditions can (and DID) change dramatically. The key is staying power: can the developer (and IS the developer) willing to fund the negative cash flow to retain the project? Or, in today's market, the bigger question is whether the lender with the underlying note can stave off the Feds???

For example, in the case of Le Bijou, if it had tried to lease at completion, could the "friendly foreclosure" been avoided? Maybe, but today, that's 20-20 hindsight. The bank has sold a few, but sold at a price WAY below hard costs. Potentially, that could have been avoided with some tough decisions/discussions and belt-tightening. By contrast, VDL has some deep pockets behind it, and the balance of Trinity Bluff at play. You may think it was (IS) a mistake, but the developer rode out the last downfall of the Feds and came up smelling like a rose several years later. News at 12, 2012 that is.

#255 vjackson

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 01:39 PM

[ High dollar condo/townhomes mixed with rentals can work, but the concept tends to work better in cities with really high density urban
neighborhoods.

The gamble here was if there is a market for such expensive condos in FW at all. In cities like you described, of course there's a market. In a city like Fort Worth (and Dallas) it's doubtful. At the prices VDL was asking, most buyers can not only afford a condo downtown, but they can also afford a single family home in Fort Worth's best urban neighborhoods, most of which are a stone's throw from DTFW. In this part of the country, where condo's are still a niche development, unless you get the right kind of buyer, at the right sale price, single-family homes usually win out. I love downtown living, but give me a million bucks and tell me to choose DTFW or Monticello, Mistletoe Heights, Westover, Park Hill, Berkley, Arlington Heights, etc., I know which one I would choose, especially when I could easily drive to DTFW whenever I wanted to.

Also, a very good point was made by eastfwther about VDL targeting the wrong buyer. I couldn't agree more. I know 4 people living in DTFW right now, 3 rent;1 owns. None of them work downtown, yet they all wanted to live there. Those who have rented have done so for years, and the one that owns a place in T&P rented for years also. Those are the possible buyers that would make the most sense to target. The buyer of the T&P unit purchased his place for around 160K if I remember correctly. One other person I know lived downtown for years too and ended up buying a home south of downtown in Fairmount. VDL was simply too ambitious and went after the wrong buyers,and I agree that even in a good economy, those units would not have sold at that price.

#256 eastfwther

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Posted 04 December 2010 - 01:09 PM

It was a "gamble" in the making since 2006.

The economy did not sink this project, it sank before the economy did. Remember, sales for VDL didn't start after construction. This place was actively marketed before and during construction, you know, when the economy was good. And still no buyers. I might have blamed the economy if maybe presales had sold ten units, but at that price point, even in a good economy, they couldn't sale any. It may have been smarter to have had presales before construction. Then the developer would have seen that there is no market in Fort Worth for condos at that price. (Dallas may be finding out the same thing with Museum Tower, but I think they have at least pre-sold some of those).

#257 Brian Luenser

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Posted 04 December 2010 - 02:41 PM

Not to turn every discussion into a "picture moment" but...

Still using photo stock from my Thursday night time on top of the Chesapeake Building. A really nice perspective of many items. Some with just the right lens. (like a 400mm) It is not that I put my yellow filter on but it was right at sunset (behind me)

The full shot as you do not see many horizon shots with the the Villa.
Posted Image

A crop of the above.
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#258 Dismuke

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Posted 04 December 2010 - 04:39 PM

Gee - there sure are a lot of water towers in that first photo.

And the cropped photo makes it look like there is a hill behind the building with the houses in the photo looking like little country houses/vacation cottages peeking out of a forest at different elevations on the hill.

Interesting how the optical illusion creates a very different impression than what is actually there.
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#259 David Love

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 09:59 AM

Bad News: Bank Foreclosed

http://www.star-tele...la-de-leon.html


...almost seems predatory on the bank's part!

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#260 AndyN

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 03:44 PM

All of the developer's undeveloped lots in this neighborhood have new for sale signs for the past several weeks. Many prime acres of land available to those who can obtain financing or have the cash, I'd imagine at discounts compared to the original cost of assembling the acreage.
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#261 John S.

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 04:25 PM

All of the developer's undeveloped lots in this neighborhood have new for sale signs for the past several weeks. Many prime acres of land available to those who can obtain financing or have the cash, I'd imagine at discounts compared to the original cost of assembling the acreage.


The big question is, where does the neighborhood go from here? Not mentioned was the fact that Mr. Struhs wanted to build a 122 unit Senior "Village" at 761 Samuels last year. The change of zoning request was denied without prejudice by the zoning commission last May. I guess it means Mr. Struhs will no longer be a player in the redevelopment of Samuels Avenue. If any redevelopment occurs in the near term its likely to be in the form of new apartments. The new Lincoln Park Apartments seemed to be doing very well with high occupancy rates. In any case, it probably means the end of one phase or era on Samuels Avenue with the next one to be determined.

#262 David Love

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 06:40 PM

I think they need to refocus on the largest segment of the population, hate to sound like a broken record, but live / work lofts and a mix of lower to mid range units are needed.

Small studios in the 75K range.

1 & 2 bedrooms in the 75 to 150K range.

...and a few slightly larger, slightly more expensive but topping out in the 250K to 350K range.

The low end is always under served due to people wanting to cash in on the luxury end.

If they want to fix the V De Leon, split them into 750, 1000 and 1500 square foot units, re price them, done.

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#263 renamerusk

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 09:30 PM

It has been reported repeatedly that the hotel demand in Fort Worth is robust. Perhaps this can be an opportunity to add a second boutique hotel to the downtown market following up on the great success of The Ashton Hotel.

Keep Fort Worth folksy

#264 Joshw

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:46 PM

It has been reported repeatedly that the hotel demand in Fort Worth is a robust. Perhaps this can be an opportunity to add a second boutique hotel to the downtown market following up on the great success of The Ashton Hotel.

Keep Fort Worth folksy


That'd be a pretty cool place for one.

#265 pelligrini

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:20 PM

That is unfortunate for Struhs.

What I don't understand about the foreclosure is that Southwest Securities foreclosed on the Trinity Bluff developers on March 6 (doesn't sound like they would work with them at all), then bid $8.4mil during the recent foreclosure sale and ended up with the property and now wants to sue the developers for the remainder? I don't know much about foreclosures and banking, but that just doesn't sound right at all. Who was at the foreclosure sale? only Southwest?

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#266 Roger_H

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:42 PM

1332372029[/url]' post='69154']
That is unfortunate for Struhs.

What I don't understand about the foreclosure is that Southwest Securities foreclosed on the Trinity Bluff developers on March 6 (doesn't sound like they would work with them at all), then bid $8.4mil during the recent foreclosure sale and ended up with the property and now wants to sue the developers for the remainder? I don't know much about foreclosures and banking, but that just doesn't sound right at all. Who was at the foreclosure sale? only Southwest?


In theory, anyone can bid on foreclosed property. In practice, most foreclosed property is purchased at auction by the lender, who bids what they are owed on the note. A lot of people are under the misconception that foreclosure ends the borrower's obligation to pay the note in full. This is definitely not the case. While it is not common, Southwest Securitues is probably within their rights to go after every dime they think they are owed.

#267 John S.

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Posted 22 March 2012 - 01:14 PM

The future for redevelopment on Samuels Avenue was uncertain before this negative news because of the lingering effects of the Recession. Now the question to be answered is whether another developer will pick up some of the lots and parcels in the neighborhood (on the cheap) and resume development or will development on Samuels be on hiatus for a long time? I'd like to see the mid-section of Samuels (where the largest concentration of historic homes remain) redeveloped into a kind of heritage park with endangered old houses brought in as in-fill housing for the vacant lots. A pipe dream, I know, but probably more feasible now than in years past. The landmark 1890's Garvey House still awaits a rescuer while it slowly deteriorates. With development now at a standstill, maybe someone could do something with the Garvey home and large lot. (wedding chapel, Bed & Breakfast, or something similar) This news about Tom Struhs/Villa De Leon should have no bearing on the future Town Lake/Trinity Vision project which, when it nears completion, should have a major impact on the neighborhood. I think the market for luxury condos in Fort Worth may be weak for decades to come unless built in a choice location. Disappointing to Samuels Avenue residents that this setback occurred when it did. Mr. Struhs had shown us plans in the past for specialty retail development near Charles E. Nash School; now that will probably never happen. We don't even have a convenience store in the neighborhood anymore (we had two, McCloud's and Amin's before development began in 2004) Of course, the long gone Courthouse Market also had a business presence and was used by neighborhood residents. The post-development residents in the new apartments and condos will surely miss not having any retail amenities nearby as well. Maybe a new developer can meet these needs. The closest retail venue is the Chevron/Sonic between Belknap and Weatherford but getting there and back is challenging during rush hour. (even more so with the single lane bridge work nearby)

#268 Jtcu

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Posted 11 January 2013 - 03:55 PM

Walked by Villa De Leon today and bumped into the new owners - a property liquidation company that bought all the existing unsold properties.  They have representatives over there for the past couple of days and are planning to relist the properties soon at a heavily discounted rate (which is still not cheap) - something like $230 sq. ft.  They're still working out the pricing.  They were able to leverage a hefty volume discount from the bank.  The HOA fee will be around 50 cents per square foot.  This is in case some of you with deep pockets had an eye out on that place.



#269 dfwerdoc

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 06:35 PM

The future for redevelopment on Samuels Avenue was uncertain before this negative news because of the lingering effects of the Recession. Now the question to be answered is whether another developer will pick up some of the lots and parcels in the neighborhood (on the cheap) and resume development or will development on Samuels be on hiatus for a long time? I'd like to see the mid-section of Samuels (where the largest concentration of historic homes remain) redeveloped into a kind of heritage park with endangered old houses brought in as in-fill housing for the vacant lots. A pipe dream, I know, but probably more feasible now than in years past. The landmark 1890's Garvey House still awaits a rescuer while it slowly deteriorates. With development now at a standstill, maybe someone could do something with the Garvey home and large lot. (wedding chapel, Bed & Breakfast, or something similar) This news about Tom Struhs/Villa De Leon should have no bearing on the future Town Lake/Trinity Vision project which, when it nears completion, should have a major impact on the neighborhood. I think the market for luxury condos in Fort Worth may be weak for decades to come unless built in a choice location. Disappointing to Samuels Avenue residents that this setback occurred when it did. Mr. Struhs had shown us plans in the past for specialty retail development near Charles E. Nash School; now that will probably never happen. We don't even have a convenience store in the neighborhood anymore (we had two, McCloud's and Amin's before development began in 2004) Of course, the long gone Courthouse Market also had a business presence and was used by neighborhood residents. The post-development residents in the new apartments and condos will surely miss not having any retail amenities nearby as well. Maybe a new developer can meet these needs. The closest retail venue is the Chevron/Sonic between Belknap and Weatherford but getting there and back is challenging during rush hour. (even more so with the single lane bridge work nearby)

drove through the area today and everything is at a standstill ..... the area is full of run down, blighted shacks. i can't imagine any developer wanting to take that on. 



#270 renamerusk

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 11:01 PM

Far from being in a distressed part of the city, I continue to think that the Villa de Leon is an ideal property for conversion into the city's second boutique hotel. 

 

The Ashton Hotel is proving that Fort Worth can offer the accommodations that clients such as the likes of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates enjoy in their travels around the world.

 

Properly retrofitted, here may be the pathway for VDL to a very successful business venture:

 

http://www.boutiquehotelnews.com/



#271 John S.

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Posted 27 January 2013 - 12:36 PM

Far from being in a distressed part of the city, I continue to think that the Villa de Leon is an ideal property for conversion into the city's second boutique hotel. 

 

The Ashton Hotel is proving that Fort Worth can offer the accommodations that clients such as the likes of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates enjoy in their travels around the world.

 

Properly retrofitted, here may be the pathway for VDL to a very successful business venture:

 

http://www.boutiquehotelnews.com/

Not a bad idea...however, there's a Marriot brand extended stay a stone's throw just south of Villa De Leon and its my understanding a liquidation company has bought the VDL Condo tower from its lenders and is planning on selling units at reduced prices; much as was done at the foreclosed LeBijou Condos nearby. The neighborhood (where I've lived for most of 23 years) is still a confusing mix of the old and new; luxury and poverty. Unless some kind of development returns, its very hard to say what this neighborhood will look like in 10 years. (except that as a preservationist I've given up on the idea that preservation will play much of a role in its future) Still unclear is how many years away the Trinity River Vision Town Lake project stands.  Given the current political divisions in Washington I speculate its quite possible the aforementioned project will not be funded adequately (if at all) so that its targeted completion dates will not be met. Worth remembering from local history is the horribly wasteful and expensive Super-Conducting Super-Collider project near Waxahachie which saw its funding cut off halfway into the project. If the Town Lake project gets put on hold (or worse, cancelled) the potential negative economic impact on the near Northside and Samuels Avenue neighborhood (if not downtown Fort Worth as well) would be almost incalculable. It brings to mind the much ballyhoo'ed Arlington Heights development during the early 1890's which was brought to a screeching halt by the economic panic and subsequent deep recession of 1893. It took decades before development resumed on a much more modest scale than was original planned. The same thing could easily happen in the Samuels and Near Northside areas, in my opinion. If that should be their fate, I think the neighborhoods could get ugly fast. Before development came, many folks in Fort Worth considered these areas a slum. Rapid gentrification does not necessarily prevent rapid decline.



#272 John S.

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Posted 29 January 2013 - 03:05 PM

The long-rumored next expansion phase of Lincoln Park Apartments across from Charles E. Nash elementary and Villa De Leon seems to now be underway. I saw a construction shed with temporary utility service pole brought in and placed on vacant land by the southeast corner of Samuels and Peach street while excavation equipment is digging for pipeline installation in front of the school. This will be the first new construction in the Villa De Leon vicinity since late 2008. Whether this will lead to anything other projects nearby is unknown but some wood survey stakes are standing near the former Samuels Avenue Baptist Church which may indicate a new project for there in the near future. Just thought I'd pass this along for any who might be interested. By the way, the little Victorian era Carpenter Gothic house that was a recent topic of discussion still stands close to the new construction area. I'd be curious to know if there are any plans to move it or save it?



#273 beverlyb

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Posted 29 January 2013 - 06:52 PM

I am hoping that once Lincoln adds to its apartment monopoly in the Trinity Bluff area, demand will go down and so will my rent! Of course I realize this all could backfire, if they can't fill apartments we will have to pay more to foot the costs.



#274 John S.

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Posted 29 January 2013 - 07:53 PM

I am hoping that once Lincoln adds to its apartment monopoly in the Trinity Bluff area, demand will go down and so will my rent! Of course I realize this all could backfire, if they can't fill apartments we will have to pay more to foot the costs.

 

I hear what you're saying. Our 20-something son looked into renting there right after they opened up and found them too pricey. But since rental demand seems to still have some strength remaining it will be interesting to see if this latest new phase at Lincoln Park reaches full occupany within a short period of time or not. I see the recession driven demand for rental housing easing off slightly in recent months with more people now seeking home ownership. Of course, I think that new trend of increased home buying has a lot to do with a general feeling in the public that the Great Recession is past its worst while job security and stability (for those who have jobs) are improving as well.



#275 FortWorthLowrider

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Posted 06 November 2013 - 08:57 AM

ROCK ISLAND!


ROCK ISLAND
Fort Worth Texas

 

#276 Now in Denton

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Posted 06 November 2013 - 05:51 PM

ROCK ISLAND!

 

LOL OK ? I thought someone posted some new news about Villa DeLeon. At any rate .I think Channel 5 put a camera on the Villa DeLeon building. Aiming it toward Downtown.



#277 John T Roberts

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Posted 06 November 2013 - 10:07 PM

Now in Denton, I think you're right.  It does appear that view used by Channel 5 on their new set is from the roof of Villa de Leon.



#278 John S.

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Posted 07 November 2013 - 07:24 PM

Construction on the Lincoln Park apartments across the street from Charles E. Nash elementary continues at a hectic pace. It's going to give Samuels Avenue a "canyon" effect for several blocks. Any word on Dallas-based Carleton Properties apartment project due north of the existing developments? It was announced in local media with much fanfare last summer (in June I believe) and would supposedly include an 11 story tower. It was due to break ground in October but since its now November and no sign of the project is present; has the project been cancelled, scaled back, or delayed? Longtime neighborhood residents are as much in the dark now as ever about our future with "For Sale" (to developer) signs still posted all over the neighborhood. It's makes me wonder if Villa De Leon will be the sole luxury condominium project on Samuels (excluding the Courtyard by Marriot extended-stay) and will much of the neighborhood turn into "apartmentville" in the years to come? Such bland development does not bode very well for the future. For almost a decade Rock-Island/Samuels Avenue has had a split personality with the dense development on the south end contrasting and separate from the older original residential properties on the north. At least they've now got a media camera in the neighborhood looking towards downtown. Did I mention the sore need for some resident focused service businesses in the neighborhood? Ok, thought I had before...



#279 AndyN

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 09:23 AM

It looks like they went through a flurry of Planning and Zoning meetings back in the middle of summer. I would think they are in the middle of design but not sure about the missed groundbreaking. I wouldn't count it dead just yet but I have no information other than the P&Z agendas.


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#280 John S.

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Posted 10 November 2013 - 12:49 PM

Andy, you're right...the zoning commission minutes from the May (2013) meeting recommended the Carleton Residential Properties project for approval. It was quite specific in details by designating a 30 ft. setback from the historic Bennett-Fenelon House at 731 Samuels and providing a 60 ft. setback limit of 2 story heights from the same northern boundary. Also designated for protection were several identified mature trees so the developer quotes from the June S-T article about the project being carefully planned for a year seem true.

 

Therefore, the only thing I can conclude from the project still not breaking ground is due to the construction mess now going on in front of Chas. E. Nash as Lincoln Park construction crews work towards completion of the current expansion phase of their apartment complex. Given that the segment almost opposite Villa De Leon was the last to pour foundations and just now is reaching the framing stage, it seems prudent to not make a difficult traffic situation worse by starting yet another large apartment construction project due north of the existing one. Add to the traffic congestion woes the two currently closed railroad construction underpasses at Gounah  as well as Cold Springs Rd. and a nightmarish traffic situation unfolds especially whenever Nash school students arrive and depart. If that explains the delay in beginning the Carleton project then it makes good sense in that context. 

 

However, one has to wonder what is the saturation level for new apartments in the downtown area? Although the TCC campus (especially the Health Sciences Center) is within easy walking distance of the Trinity Bluff and Lincoln Park apartment complexes a frequent complaint is that the higher downtown market leasing rates exceeds the affordability levels for much of the student population.  (quite a few students intentionally attend TCC to save on their education costs) 

 

As has also been frequently mentioned (but no developers appear to have taken the hint yet) the complete lack of retail service businesses for residents of Trinity Bluffs-Rock Island-Samuels Avenue is a major neighborhood drawback. I believe the majority of residents would welcome some small businesses coming back to the neighborhood. A tasty Mom & Pop type Mexican food takeout business (El Matate now off N. 28th) and two convenience stores (Amin's and McCloud's) disappeared with the new development. I'm sure the residents of Villa De Leon are equally disappointed by a lack of nearby retail venues. Early design proposals by developers for mixed-use ground floor retail with upper floor residential have not materialized; some conceptual illustrations developers brought to neighborhood meetings suggested a Parisian sidewalk café type built environment. The reality unfortunately falls far short of that dreamy urban streetscape.



#281 AndyN

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 09:06 AM

I'm sure they will be closely watching the lease-out rates of the new complex.


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