City Commissioners will consider Tuesday whether to subdivide a 2.22 acre parcel at the corner of Central Avenue West and Bay Drive into what’s being called Buffalo Crossing.

The property is zoned M-2 mixed-use transitional and there is no proposed zone change with the subdivision request.

Two structures are currently on the property. One is the brick barrel building just off the Central/1st Avenue bridge that is proposed for renovation and reuse. The second is a metal clad storage building that will be either demolished or relocated as part of future development.

Subdivision planned for Holman property with hopes of spurring riverfront development

The property owner, Holman Grain, is proposing to subdivide the property into six lots with the northern lot being created to redevelop the existing building, while five new lots are proposed for future development.

The applicant is hoping to develop the lots with mixed uses and potentially upper story residential units to maximize the riverfront views, according to the staff report.

The development team told The Electric during the initial phases that they hadn’t had any serious discussions with potential land purchasers or tenants since they were first focused on getting city approval for the subdivision. The developers said after getting initial approvals they were moving into a more active phase of finding developers.

The Planning Advisory Board voted to recommend approval of the subdivision during a late February meeting.

The lots in the preliminary plat would range in size from 10,245 square feet to 25,510 square feet.

A segment of the River’s Edge Trail system runs along the back of the property, separated from the remaining property by a retaining wall.

In 2016, the city filed criminal complaint against the owner for maintaining a public nuisance. The property owner met the city’s requirements to correct the most pressing public safety issues before the City Commission was set to consider whether to declare the building a public nuisance.

The building was constructed in the 1930s and served as a highway department warehouse and a flooring store. Development was proposed for the building in 2004, but plans fell through and complaints about the building date back to 2005.

Not long after the city took action for the nuisance abatement, the property owner contacted the city about subdividing the property, according to the staff report. The proposed lots meet all the requirements specified in the City’s M-2 zoning district, according to the city planning department.

Neighborhood Council 2 heard the proposal on Feb. 14 and two members voted in favor of the project, one member abstained and two were absent, according to the city.

During the planning board meeting, some residents expressed concern related to potential parking issues, building in the floodplain and compatibility with the city’s Missouri River Urban Corridor Plan. Planning staff wrote in their report that reuse of the existing building, connectivity to the River’s Edge Trail and infill development are consistent with the plan.

If the subdivision is approved, any future development would require review by the city’s Design Review Board.

Infrastructure costs related to the project will be covered by the developer and the property owner has expressed interest in applying for funds from the West Bank Urban Renewal District, which is a tax increment financing district, for potential expenses such as sidewalk, curbing and utility line relocation. Such a request requires approval from the City Commission and no such request has yet been submitted, according to city staff.