6 Historic Fort Wood Homes To Be Razed As New Student Housing Project Expands

Six historic Fort Wood homes will be razed as a new student housing project that was approved earlier expands.

The brick homes line the south side of Oak Street between Central Avenue and O'Neal Street.

Also to be demolished for the project will be the former home of Congressman John A. Moon on Central Avenue at the corner of Oak.

Developer David Hudson told the City Council on Tuesday night that expanding the McCallie Commons project will allow the parking to be enclosed inside the development. As initially approved, parking areas would have been exposed on McCallie Avenue and O'Neal Street, he said.

The move "will provide more critical mass to make the project more successful," he said.

Mr. Hudson said this will allow use of the entire block for a project that he said will be "compatible" with the neighborhood.

The development group, that also includes Bob McKenzie and John Clark, has purchased all but one of the old homes. Mr. Hudson said it expects to be able to close on the remaining home.

He said UTC just announced a new multi-million-dollar sports complex on O'Neal Street and said, "There will be other requests like this coming."

Hal Baker, of the Fort Wood Neighborhood Association, said, "There has been significant opposition to the project and may still be some." But he said the association's board is now in favor of the latest rezoning.

The City Council voted in favor of the rezoning.

Chairman Moses Freeman, who lives nearby, said he has been in contact with those selling their homes to the developers and said they are friends and relatives of his.

Members of the Regional Planning Agency staff had recommending denial, while the Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions.

The staff said, "The concern is how this new development will fit with the single family detached housing across the street.

"The proposal is not consistent with the existing form and scale of lower density urban residential development on the block.

"The proposed residential density is not compatible with the surrounding density found on Oak Street that serves as a neighborhood residential street.

"The proposed expansion along Oak Street does raise concerns regarding location, lighting, access, and height due to the single family residential structures found in the area.

"The proposal would be an extension of an existing zone.

"The proposal would set a precedent for future requests and may encourage continued encroachment into the single-family residential district that exists along O'Neal Street and east of Central Avenue."