HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-26-17 Public Comment - D. Center - Black OliveNot long ago, in a pensive mood, I found myself sitting on a bench atop Peet's Hill. My gaze
wandered and eventually landed on downtown. Of the 6 large buildings I could recognize, 2
were developed by Andy Holloran. Clearly, he's playing a major part in shaping our town.
As you know, Andy is a finance guy who became a developer almost accidentally. His
projects understandably reflect his background by clearly making return on investment the
top priority. This may be why the projects have had difficulty pleasing the design review
board.
Specifically, the proposed Black Olive building occupies every legally buildable square foot of
ground, with an efficiently blocky shape, and the minimum number of parking spaces, in
order to maximize ROI. There is no lawn, no patio, no courtyard, no negative space.
The location is on the very fringe of the City's designated Core Downtown, and as such, it
should be used for a transitional structure. Something of 3 stories in height, with some
unbuilt space and landscaping.
The project, as proposed, is grossly deficient in off street parking. Mr. Holloran is a city guy
who happily lives and works downtown. He doesn't seem to grasp that people live in
Bozeman in order to fish the Madison, climb ice at Hyalite, and hunt elk in the Crazies. None
of which you can do without a vehicle. The building should provide one off street parking
space for each residential unit, at a minimum.
When you consider the traffic impacts of this project, be aware that the Traffic Study was
performed on a warm Fall day. A perfect day to walk or bike downtown. It will not reflect
the traffic flow in January when cars in the area are parking 3 feet from the curb due to
accumulated snow or in Summer when tourists who don't understand our one-way streets
are circling downtown.
The decisions you make will shape our community for the next 100 years. Please make a
good one here and reject the Black-Olive project as submitted. It's a big blocky building
designed by The Borg for Scrooge McDuck.
Thank you for dedicating your energy and time to the betterment of our community. You
are much appreciated.
Dean Center
909 S. Third Ave.