A project to redevelop Dixie's On Grand into a five-story, mixed-use building with 80 market-rate apartments is one step closer to approval after the St. Paul Planning Commission gave it green lights Friday.
The commission voted 9-1 to approve building variances and a conditional use permit for the project. The City Council will discuss rezoning the site at 695 Grand Av. from a B2 Community Business District to T3 Traditional Neighborhood District over the coming weeks.
As proposed, the $32.5 million project would include four ground-floor commercial spaces: two for existing restaurants Emmett's and Saji-Ya, and two for new businesses. Dixie's owner Peter Kenefick plans to retire after 30 years in the restaurant business.
The plan also calls for 80 secure bicycle parking spaces and 99 vehicle parking stalls.
The Planning Commission debated the size, scale and neighborhood aesthetic of the building Friday morning.
The controversial proposal was previously approved by the Zoning Committee and the neighborhood group Summit Hill Association. The commission approved three zoning recommendations, which include a conditional-use permit for a building height of nearly 60 feet, a front-yard setback variance and a building size and height variance.
Opponents of the plan fear that the proposed building would overwhelm their neighborhood charm, while supporters hope it will enliven the neighborhood.
Planning staff found that the variances should not alter the essential character of the neighborhood and cited building materials as an example, which are in line with neighborhood design standards.