The Salina Planning Commission unanimously approved amendments to transform the historic Roosevelt-Lincoln school buildings from age-restricted housing to multi-generational apartments during Tuesday's meeting, despite significant community concerns about parking availability in the downtown area.
Property Background and Development Plans
The property, bounded by 8th Street, 7th Street, and Mulberry Street, houses the former Roosevelt Lincoln Middle School and Junior High buildings, originally constructed in 1915 (Lincoln) and 1920 (Roosevelt). The buildings are listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Kansas State Historic Register and were previously redeveloped as apartment buildings from 2004 to 2006.
Currently operating as Pioneer President's Place, the property is undergoing a $20 million renovation by developer Tony Krsnich (also referred to as Tony Kresnik) of Flint Hills Holdings Group to become RL Lofts, paying homage to the historic Roosevelt Lincoln buildings.
Zoning Amendments Approved
The Planning Commission approved several key modifications to the existing Planned Development District (PDD), including:
- Removal of age restriction: Eliminating the requirement that limited occupancy to persons 55 years and older
- Parking variance: Maintaining the existing 58 off-street parking spaces rather than the 102 spaces normally required for 61 unrestricted residential units
- Signage modification: Allowing two ground signs (one for each building) instead of the typically allowed single sign
- Landscape plan modifications: Adjusting the required planting plan
Economic Justification for Changes
Krsnich explained that removing the age restriction was essential for the property's economic viability. "Two out of three people that came that wanted to live in the apartments, we had to say no to" due to the combined age restrictions and income limitations, he told commissioners.
The property will maintain its affordable housing commitment, with 80% of units restricted to residents making 60% or less of the area median income (approximately $40,000), while the remaining 20% will be available at market rates. Krsnich committed to maintaining affordability for 30 years through a land use restriction agreement with the state of Kansas.
Parking Concerns Dominate Discussion
The most contentious issue during the meeting was the parking variance request. According to Assistant City Planner Dustin Herrs, the existing 58 parking spaces represent approximately 56% of what would typically be required for a multifamily housing complex of this size without age restrictions. He noted that elderly housing has half the parking requirements of standard multifamily housing.
"One of the biggest questions that staff has and one of the biggest concerns that we have with the proposed project is that you're going from 102 units down to 58, which would only be a little over 56% of what is typically required," Herrs explained.
Community Opposition and Concerns
Several local residents and representatives from nearby churches voiced strong concerns during public comment about the parking impact on the neighborhood.
Kim Frederking, senior pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church on Mulberry Street, noted that her congregation already experiences parking challenges during special events and funerals. "As downtown and Santa Fe itself continues to evolve, parking will only continue to become more difficult," Frederking said. "I'm really concerned about the safety of people needing to park along Seventh Street, 8th Street, and Mulbury to enter into these apartments."
Pastor Jacqueline Thornton of Emanuel Lutheran Church, located directly across the street from the development, suggested a compromise approach: "I would urge you to consider requiring that the variance perhaps be modified to have first choice for those 55 and older and only open to the general public if there are not sufficient applicants to fill 100%."
Corlene Lang, a member of Emanuel Lutheran Church, questioned the accuracy of the applicant's assessment of available on-street parking, particularly considering existing demands from nearby businesses and the recent addition of Meddy's restaurant.
Developer's Justifications
The developer presented several justifications for the parking variance, including:
- Preservation of historic landscape features
- Ample surrounding public parking capacity
- Documented lower car ownership rates among affordable housing residents
- The property's transit-accessible infill location
Krsnich argued that the 58 existing spaces would be sufficient, citing data showing reduced vehicle ownership among affordable housing residents and pointing to available on-street and public parking in the surrounding area.
Commission Deliberation
Commissioners engaged in lengthy discussions about whether the 58 spaces would be adequate for the unrestricted housing. They raised concerns about potential remedies if parking issues arose after approval, to which Herrs responded that establishing a quantifiable threshold for parking problems would be challenging.
The commission drew comparisons to the Lee Lofts development, which has 103 units with only 69 required parking spaces, providing some precedent for reduced parking requirements in similar projects.
Final Decision and Next Steps
Despite the community concerns, the Planning Commission unanimously approved both the zoning amendment and preliminary development plan, allowing the project to proceed with the existing 58 parking spaces.
The approved preliminary development plan now advances to the City Commission for final approval. If the City Commission approves the amendments, a final development plan will return to the Planning Commission for administrative review.
The project represents a significant investment in downtown Salina's housing stock while maintaining the historic character of the Roosevelt-Lincoln buildings and preserving affordable housing options for the community.
