WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — A rezone request that would pave the way for the newest student housing complex, “The Sullivan,” was approved unanimously by the Tippecanoe Area Plan Commission on Wednesday, despite calls for more parking and increased safety measures.
The proposed six-story complex by Tomish Developers would replace nine current buildings consisting of existing housing and zoned R3W for single and multifamily housing. Spread across 10 lots on 1.69 acres, the city block is bound by Fowler and Chauncey avenues and Vine and Wiggins streets.
The requested rezone of PDMX for planned development mixed use would allow the construction of 285 units, according to the rezoning petition, totaling 551 bedrooms. The ground floor of the complex would also offer more than 7,000 square feet of retail space along the corner of Vine and Wiggins streets.
Ryan Munden, a representative of Tomish Developers with RTS Law, said the name “The Sullivan” and the building’s design are a nod to American architect Louis Sullivan’s work, featuring elements of terra cotta panels on the building’s exterior and a combination of limestone and cast stone masonry.
All tenants of the current rentals on the property, Munden said, have been notified that no leases will be terminated and that construction will not begin until all leases have expired.
Samantha King, Maclure Alumni Association president, said residents at the cooperative at 128 Wiggins St. are concerned about the lack of parking with the proposed complex, noting only 178 underground spaces are planned.
“This area is already devoid of 24/7 parking spaces; it’s very minimal,” King said. “One of our main concerns with it is the lack of parking spaces, particularly if you have a commercial business. Where are those employees parking?”
Munden said the number of parking spaces in the plans are compliant with APC requirements.
Jason Dombkowski, Tippecanoe APC voting member, said in keeping tabs with the rental situation in West Lafayette, he’d noted recently several vacancy advertisements in apartment complexes, wondering whether the current number of active housing projects in the city have met the existing need.
But Jen Van Schuyver, West Lafayette development director, said having just recently run numbers on the city’s housing situation, West Lafayette is still low for needed development.
“In 2023, we conducted a housing study where we found that we had a lack of 3,200 units within the city,” Van Schuyver said. “As of today, approved projects for city council has only approved 2,800 of those units. That doesn’t account for the increase of produced growth since then, or the SK hynix project as well. So we’re still actually under the threshold of the of the unit that we feel like we need within the city of West Lafayette.”
After the unanimous vote for approval, the project moves to the West Lafayette City Council for a final vote on Sept. 2.
Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Proposed WL complex ‘The Sullivan’ OKd by Tippecanoe APC, moves to city council
Reporting by Jillian Ellison, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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