National Developer Eyes Apartment Community on Norman Street

A top national residential developer out of Florida has filed with the City and state environmental officials to build approximately 400 units of apartment housing with 600 parking spaces in one building at the corner of Norman and Air Force roads – just steps from the new brewery and distillery district and the Northern Strand Bike Path.

Lennar Multifamily Communities, one of the largest home builders in the United States, has filed with the City to build on land owned by Howard Bornstein – land that currently contains asphalt and shipping containers and would have never been thought very valuable a decade ago.

But now, the Fermentation District and the Village are hot commodities, and there are a slate of potential developments in the works – including this one.

Lennar has contemplated several types of development for the 5.7 acre site, including an office building and even a two-building apartment campus with more units. The current project they’ve settled on includes about 400 units in a six story (70 foot) building. The building would have four levels of apartments sitting over two levels of podium-style parking.

The building would contain amenities such as a pool, fitness center and club room, with entrances on Air Force Road that would create a loop around the property for easy in-and-out access.

The property is located in the Everett River Front Overlay Zoning District, which was adopted to encourage such developments a few years ago. It would by right require 800 parking spaces, but Lennar felt their unit count would suffice with 600 – though they would need approvals.

“The required parking spaces under the City zoning requirements is 800 spaces, however, based on recent project and use studies in the area, the project team anticipates 600 spaces, or fewer, will be appropriate for this unit count,” read the environmental filing.

The project would include affordable housing units, and according to traffic studies in the filing, would only have minimal effects on traffic and congestion. It is predicted to generate approximately 2,178 vehicle trips on an average weekday.

Ward 6 Councilor Michael McLaughlin said he often wondered what would happen to the large lot on the corner, particularly since the area is booming. However, he said he has initial concerns.

“This being said it does raise some valid concerns and many unanswered questions about a development of such magnitude,” he said. “Fully understanding the impact that the village has seen over the last few years it gives me the need to have a steady hand at the table throughout the process to fully understand and continuously share the thoughts and concerns of the residents of the village section of Everett.”

He said he would keep an open mind, and hopes to hear more specifics during the upcoming development process.

“I look forward to hearing in much greater detail the specifics of this development and working to ensure whatever development sits on that site will be beneficial to the City of Everett and the residents that immediately are impacted by the property,” he said.

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