Infill in Brookside

[OurTulsa]

June 15th TMAPC has scheduled a PUD that proposes 8 townhomes and a two story (3000 sf) office building on three lots currently containing three single family homes in the Brookside neighborhood.  The lots are located on 35th Pl. immediately east of the Sinclair Station.  Five of the townhomes will be built right up to 35th Pl. (sidewalks included) while the other three will be placed along the backside and accessed from a court.  The office will be located immediately behind the Sinclair Station in the southwest corner of the development.  The whole project will contain required parking on-site and contain only one curb cut from 35th.  The townhomes appear to be two 1/2 to three stories each ranging from 2300sf to 2000sf. with roof top patios.  

It seems as though INCOG staff is going to support the application and the Brookside Plan appears to support it as well.  I hear there are some rumblings from a few of the residents from the Brookside neighborhood though.  I've heard they are concerned with erotion of the residential neighborhood.  Higher densities and scale, these are three story townhomes while the existing res. consist primarily of one story structures.

Any thoughts?

In my opinion this could apply as Planning 101.  Peoria is a high intensity corridor.  These townhomes could act as a transitional layer between the intense activity corridor and the low density residential neighborhood behind.  The scale may be a concern but it could be designed so that the townhomes are not so imposing (and TMAPC can condition the application so that the homes are teired against the single family homes).  The scale to me is fine; if it were 5 story townhomes then sure scale would be an issue but I've seen plenty of juxto's that present one and three story structures and they appear fine.  Traffic, I don't think this development is going to add any more traffic into the residential neighborhood.  This development is up against the corridor not in the middle of the neighborhood.  The only curb cut into the development is closest to Peoria, it just seems to make sense that all traffic would come from Peoria not the neighborhood.  

Also, this is infill.  This type of infill is desperately needed in Tulsa.  This is what many of us are screaming for.  This is sustainability 101 (or the closest local equiv.): using existing infrastructure, increasing urban density, diversifying an urban neighborhood, contributing to the walkability of the neiborhood.

The only catch to me might be design.  How do these architecturally fit in with the neighborhood?  Are they putting up big concrete blocks?  I tend to think that they will look nice but I don't know.

Aside from not seeing any architectural renderings this application appears to be Planning 101.  I would support it, how about you.

I'm sure I left out some details but I would love to hear what others think.