FRESH DIRT > City council considers design of mixed use development on Pacific
On Tuesday, July 12, the Santa Cruz City Council heard from Norman Schwartz, representative of Park Pacific LLC. who is developing the commercial and residential building at 1547-49 Pacific Ave.. Schwartz went before the council to seek approval for the latest modifications in Park Pacific’s design.
The five-story building will include 66 residential units and the same amount of parking spaces for vehicles and bicycles, respectively. Requiring three zoning permits, the building must adhere to strict aesthetic conditions, which consider form, character and building height in order to reflect the different characteristics of downtown.
Any building that is designed to exceed more than 60 feet needs approval from city council. Buildings higher than 60 feet would block more sun, therefore producing more shade—an unwelcome characteristic in downtown. Defending the design, Schwartz said, “this time we got it exactly right,” and described the building as “exuberant and colorful.” The city council, however, declined his request for approval. Schwartz will go before the council again later this year to seek final approval.
