While falling snow postponed the Queen Village Neighbors Association zoning hearing last month, QVNA members are nevertheless optimistic about a proposal from a well-known local developer to convert the former drab looking and faded Sonny's General Auto Repair at 123 Washington Ave. into three row homes that front League Street with garages facing Washington.
The proposal, which was heard last week, seeks to create three lots from one, and is by the same developer that built row homes at 6th & Bainbridge. A number of members of the zoning committee have already met with the developer informally to look at and comment on the presentation, and they found nothing to be controversial, according to Mike Hauptman, zoning chair.
We've seen a few projects along Washington Avenue lately that have largely been mixed-use makeovers. And we've also seen some one-offs in alley-sized streets just off Washington, like here on the 1000 block of Reese St. just north of 5th & Washington.
While Queen Village is an already well-developed residential urban neighborhood complete with local sustainable retail and not without its charming cafes, it's continuing to expand. There are plans for 75 new homes near the waterfront at Columbus & Catharine, plus plans to rebuild Weccacoe Playground at 4th & Catharine. When you toss in another proposal for nine homes at 112-120 Christian you can see how redevelopment is continuing to crop up around Queen Village.