Downtown apartment plan back on agenda for Geneva

A three-story, 23-unit apartment building is being proposed again for a spot at the south end of downtown Geneva.

The Geneva Plan Commission will review plans Thursday from Shodeen Inc. to put the Dodson Residences building on the southeast corner of Second and South streets.

That's the spot where, in 2003, Shodeen proposed building a 23-unit condominium building. The building was envisioned as the ninth building in the mixed-use Dodson Place development, which spans Third Street and replaced the old Community Hospital.

"Not much has changed (in the proposal)," said Dick Untch, the city's community development director. "It is essentially the same proposal."

In 2003, residents of single-family houses along Second Street were worried that the building was too dense for the neighborhood, that it would cause traffic problems, that there wasn't enough parking and that it would hurt the value of nearby houses. The building would be about a block north of the city's parking garage and the Union Pacific railroad line, and would have underground parking.

The developer withdrew its plans in December 2003.

Untch noted the plan the city approved for the whole Dodson Place development called for six row homes on the site. Shodeen would have to get a special-use permit to deviate from that plan, and would need to have a new public hearing on the proposal. Thursday's meeting is just a review of the concept.

The commission meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 109 James St.