Plan for luxury apartments advances in Petersburg

By Luz Lazo

Published: October 28, 2009

PETERSBURG -- In an unpopular vote, the Petersburg City Council last night unanimously approved a rezoning change to allow redevelopment of a downtown warehouse into luxury apartments.

The action was taken after a two-hour public hearing in which more than two dozen residents spoke against, and five in favor of, changing the industrial designation of the 225 Hinton St. property to a multiple-dwelling district.

The change will allow a Richmond developer to proceed with a plan to turn the property into more than 100 apartment units.

The old warehouse currently houses Michaels Textile.

Several residents said last night that the building is architecturally inappropriate for apartments and cited other concerns.

A petition against the project, signed by more than 500 people, was presented to council members last night.

In July, the city's Planning Commission recommended denial of the rezoning request. Before last night's vote, some council members said their decision was based on what's best for the city and that they saw an opportunity to bring a change to downtown Petersburg that the city has been waiting for.

City officials envision creating a residential village within the central part of the city, following a trend for modern and upscale housing within walking distance of restaurants and shops, similar to Richmond's Tobacco Row.

Officials have said the Hinton Street Lofts, proposed by 225 Hinton Street LLC, an affiliate of Richmond-based Franklin Development Group, will help do that.

The $15 million project calls for turning the old warehouse into luxurious oneand two-bedroom apartment units that would be rented at market price.