A four-story hotel/restaurant will not be built at the Jefferson Heights neighborhood after all.
Architect Landon Kennedy told the Planning Commission on Monday that the owner had decided not to proceed with the hotel.
He said the request now is for multi-family to go in south of E. 16th Street, rather than the hotel.
The Regional Planning Agency had recommended denial on rezoning for the hotel.
The case was deferred for 30 days.
Chairman Ethan Collier said it was "terribly confusing to me" that no one from the community showed up on the case.
He said, "If they had wanted to do nine short term vacation rentals, the room would be full."
He noted that Jefferson Heights "is an incredibly active community."
The location is at 422 E. 16th St., where there are rows of shotgun houses on each side leading to a dead end. The shotgun houses were all built at the same time in the early 1920s.
Access is off of Washington Street.
Mr. Kennedy said the plan is to keep seven shotgun houses on the north side of E. 16th. He said they would be refurbished for commercial use.
The shotgun houses on the south side would be taken down to make space for the multi-family and parking.
City Councilwoman Jenny Hill noted that under the plan "13 families will be displaced."
She said to have that many working people lose their homes "is a heavy lift for me."
The property is owned by Maurice Thedford.