[MNMike]

Six-story upscale condo project planned at Lagoon & Irving

By Anna Pratt
A developer has presented early plans for a six-story, 34-unit condo development at 1609-11 Lagoon Ave. and 2910 Irving Ave. S.

Hornig Companies presented the plan to the East Isles Residents Association (EIRA) on Oct. 18. The condos will replace two houses, a fourplex and a duplex that were all rental properties.

Still in early design phases, the building - with units priced $300,000-$500,000 - will hopefully draw neighborhood residents who're attracted to condo living, said developer John Hornig.

He said the buildings to be demolished are run-down: “We feel like we're removing some blighted properties from the neighborhood.”

He touted the higher unit count as compatible with “smart growth principles with density at a transit corridor. It's a great location to walk to the transit, grocery store and lakes.”

Aesthetically, the condos take cues from historic structures in the area for a more traditional look. The setback and roofline will also be on par with neighboring buildings, he said.

The developer would also remove a curb cut from Lagoon Avenue for access through the alley, increasing pedestrian safety since cars could not enter and exit there.

Hornig, a third-generation developer, owns and manages many Uptown properties and 1,000 units total in Minneapolis, including the development's next-door neighbor at 1619 Lagoon Ave. The company has been in the area for 50 years. That means “we care about Uptown,” he said.

Eventually, Hornig will probably need to acquire some conditional-use permits (CUP) including a CUP for an R6 development of five or more units and CUP for buildings over 35 feet tall in the Shoreland Overlay District.

At the EIRA meeting, there was a lot of discussion about what kind of shadow the six-story building would cast. Since Hornig's plans are still preliminary, they didn't have an answer for that but said they would research it further and share findings with the neighborhood.

The next step for Hornig will be to bring the project back to the neighborhood.