Book Exchange Developers Will Revise Plans for Step-Back

Developers for the said they will submit revised plans to the College Park City Council before the end of December.

The Thursday to allow developer Ilya Zusin more time to incorporate a into the design— a six-story student housing and retail complex.

A step-back architectural feature would taper the six-story building on the east side, facing Yale Avenue, so it's fewer levels. The city and county planning staffs have said this is required, because the project faces an area that is zoned for residential use.

Jill Kosack, a county staffer reviewing the plans, also questioned the building’s design and its compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. But she confirmed the lack of the step-back was not compliant with the Development District Overlay Zone.

That was enough reason for Planning Board Chair Elizabeth Hewlett to believe the developers, city and county could compromise. She said she saw enough positive things in the plan — like its silver or gold LEED certification — to not scrap it all together.

But city attorney Suellen Ferguson was not confident all the city’s concerns could be addressed by revising the existing plan.

“It really needs to be resubmitted,” Ferguson said.

Developers maintained their .

The city council will review the changes in January before the developers return to the county planning board.

Ten residents on Thursday, in addition to Ferguson, city Planning Director Terry Schum, City Councilwoman (Dist. 3) and City Councilman-elect Robert Day (Dist. 3). Most said the building was too big, it wasn’t compatible with the surrounding historic district of Old Town, and several residents raised concerns about the density. More than 1,000 students could be housed in the complex. 

But developers said the density and size do not exceed the parameters of the zoning laws and approved Central U.S. 1 Corridor Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment, which makes recommendations pertaining to land use, zoning and development along Baltimore Avenue. They suggested the city’s main source of angst is the proposed use.

“The neighborhood basically does not want student housing,” said Michele La Rocca, attorney for the developer.