Construction in Elkhorn Village is being downsized.
On Thursday, May 24, Elkhorn Springs developer CG Elkhorn received approval from the Sun Valley Planning and Zoning Commission to slice the top floor off one of two multi-family buildings under construction on Village Way.
In 2005, the P&Z approved a five-story condominium, referred to as building C-2. At the time, there was public concern over the height of the building. The new approval will cut the maximum height from 63 feet 5 inches down to 55 feet 9 inches. The proposed footprint, exteriors, materials, colors, locations and general building design will not be changed, Community Development Director Mark Hofman said.
"It just works better with the whole site," said Dave Hennessy, Ketchum-based partner to Connecticut-based CG Elkhorn. "We got a lot of public comment on the height."
However, P&Z Chairwoman Joan Lamb also said in an interview that if the building went to five stories, more costly metal framing would have been required.
The P&Z's design approval allows the changes to go forward without CG Elkhorn's beginning the application process anew. A new application would be considered under more stringent design standards passed by the city since the original application. However, the commission found "substantial conformance" between the originally approved building and the building after the size reduction.
"This is of tremendous public benefit," Commissioner David Brown said of the size reduction.