More Carmel apartments on the drawing board

An affiliate of Butler Automotive Group is asking Carmel for a zoning change that would clear the way for a 235-unit apartment complex just north of an under-construction Hyundai dealership at 96th Street and Randall Drive.

Property owner 4148 96th LLC wants to classify the 20-acre parcel—now zoned for business uses—as a planned unit development, allowing for project-specific use and development standards.

Plans call for keeping the southern half of the property commercial, with two out lots flanking the 37,000-square-foot dealership along 96th. The northern 9.3 acres would be apartments.

A development plan prepared by Carmel-based multifamily developer CRG Residential shows three three-story buildings with one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus a clubhouse and recreation area.

Apartments would range in size from about 775 square feet to 1,200 square feet. About 100 units would have first-floor garages.

The developer also has proposed a 50-foot-wide “tree preservation area” along the northern property line to provide a buffer between the apartments and the existing Williamson Run single-family neighborhood.

A 10-foot multiuse path would run along 96th Street to the south.

The city of Carmel is realigning Randall Drive to connect with an existing traffic signal at the entrance to the HHGregg store across the street.

Apartment construction has been on the rise nationally, and the northern suburbs have drawn plenty of interest from developers. As IBJ reported in July, about 2,000 units are under construction north of 96th Street, and another 3,500 have at least preliminary approval. More than 2,000 of the planned units are in Carmel.  

What’s your take on the apartment-building blitz?