Peary Court plans withdrawn again

 

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

Developers proposing to build a 24-acre upscale housing complex on the site of Peary Court on White Street in Key West can’t seem to catch a break.

Appearing for a fourth time before the Key West Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) on Thursday, Nov. 6, the owners of the property, purchased last year from the U.S. Navy for $35 million, had to withdraw their latest design rather than risk having it voted down by the HARC board. Property owner White Street Partners will now go back to the design drawing board in the hopes of creating a 208-unit complex that will receive HARC approval.

“We will be back before you at a future date,” Jim Hendrick, a private planner working with White Street Partners, told HARC members.

White Street Partners and architect Bernard Zyscovich have carefully tried to address every objection that has been made over the proposed 24-acre upscale housing complex. The first design, by another architect, was withdrawn from a HARC hearing in 2012 when it became clear it would not be approved. Zyscovich was then hired but his proposed design also didn’t pass muster.

Other objections have come from next-door residents in the Meadows neighborhood. Angela Street neighbors objected to the removal of a fence currently between the street and the existing Peary Court housing development. They were also concerned about traffic congestion if the new Peary Court was accessed via Angela Street.

White Street Partners worked out a deal with the neighbors. In return for keeping the fence, reducing the size of some of the units on the Angela Street side and eliminating the Angela Street access road, the Meadow’s residents would withdraw their objections.

But HARC members brought up a new objection at their last meeting, saying they were concerned that HARC was the first city board to be asked to give a thumbs up to the development. Usually, a new housing development would go before the planning board and even the city Development Review Commission before going to HARC. But City Planner Don Craig told White Street Partners in the beginning of the approval process to first apply to HARC, which has jurisdiction over site plans in the historic district.

“We’re being asked to approve something that we don’t know can be built,” said HARC member Patrick Wright. “There are glaring issues, still.”

 

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