LAKEVIEW — The local businessman who owns Spin nightclub and several Lakeview buildings wants to increase the size of his properties across from the Chateau Hotel on Broadway to six stories.
David Gassman on Tuesday evening presented neighbors with updated plans for the work he wants to do to his buildings on the east side of the 3800 block of North Broadway, where he owns all but two buildings.
Ever since the new owners of the Chateau Hotel across the street bought the blighted single resident occupancy hotel, Gassman has said he planned to update his own properties.
Gassman asked East Lake View Neighbors to change zoning so that all his buildings could be built to six stories, a potential $10 million project, he said. The buildings now range from one to three stories. The Chateau Hotel is six stories.
The first floors would stay commercial, the second floors would host offices and the rest would be residential, he said. Mostly "condo-quality" three-bedroom, two-bathroom rental apartments will fill the residential area.
Gassman said he was targeting young, just-out-of-college residents, with monthly rents ranging from $2,400 to $2,800 for the three-bedroom units.
There would be 47 parking spots, he said. All but four of the spots would be underground. The entrance would be in the back alley.
Most of the current tenants would stay in the building, Gassman said, including the Howard Brown Health Center, Starbucks and Lakeview Pantry.
Though he did not have images of the entire project, the buildings would retain the classic red brick look now seen there, he said. The corner building with Starbucks, a two-story building with birds lining the roof, would keep its historic facade, and Gassman would build above it, he said.
Starbuck's front, which has a special designation, would need special city permission to be demolished, according to Abby Sullivan, an aide to Ald. James Cappleman (46th).
Sullivan said Cappleman's office had spoken with other property owners in the area, and they were mostly supportive of the concept.
East Lake View Neighbors and other area stakeholders said they were waiting on Gassman to present more photos of the potential build-out before voicing official support. Mostly, people who've spoken to Sullivan were glad that the neighborhood is being upgraded, she said.
"People are excited about the fact that the Chateau being rehabbed is bringing more investment to the community," she said.
The zoning request will go before the city after neighbors approve the design.
