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A developer is reworking his plans for a six-story apartment building on Carmel’s Main Street to align the proposed $17 million project with future needs of residents and increase its chances of getting city approval.
Aziz Mamaev, owner of the L’etoile project, originally envisioned filling the 3/4-acre vacant lot at 833 W. Main St. with a 104,000-square-foot, 60-unit apartment complex featuring 4,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
After the city’s technical advisory committee held an initial review of the project Wednesday, the developer decided to replace the retail space with shared offices and other amenities for the building’s residents.
“The owner is excited about doing a building that provides a little bit different living opportunity,” said Dan Moriarity, principal of Studio M Architecture & Planning, which is handling designs for the project.
More employees are working from home or remote offices because of the pandemic, and that trend is expected to continue after the health crisis. That’s why the plans now call for 16 shared offices on the ground floor next to a coffee lounge and fitness center instead or retail space, Moriarity said.
The plans continue to include 20 studio units, 20 one-bedroom units and 20 two-bedroom units, to appeal to a variety of tenants, Moriarity said.
In addition to the living and work quarters, L’etoile has also been designed to include an 87-space parking deck with electric car charging stations, Moriarity said.
The site previously housed an 8,100-square-foot office building from the 1970s. Moriarity said the building sat vacant for some time before it was demolished last year.
L’etoile is scheduled to go before the city’s plan commission July 21. If the project receives necessary approvals, construction could start in September and residents could move in as soon as late 2021, Moriarity said.
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This looks like a great project. The architecture is beautiful and it will be an amazing investment for this property. It is these types of projects that help attract small retail users to the area and allows them to flourish. This investment will continue to allow the real estate around it to continue to appreciate in value.
I wish the city would turn that corner into a park which badly needs some green, breathing space. Carmel is becoming more and more congested and claustrophobic, especially coming to that property from the west. A small gazebo band stand, a vendor selling ice cream and cool drinks, and plentiful, shaded park benches would be a delightful break from the congestion and would echo the historic character and charm of what’s left of the older architecture in that area.
Carmel is renown for all its development and construction of hard surfaces. It’s become overwhelming. Progressive construction includes green space to relieve the confining nature of all the concrete, stone, brick, and asphalt. Many residents left Indianapolis for more green, open space. Carmel should avoid the congestion from which residents wanted to escape. It’s past time to integrate livable, inviting green space into new development.
This is not the corner location.
Oops, this isn’t the corner location. This lot is directly across the street from the strip mall with Fat Dans and the Gas station and is sandwiched between Big O Tires on the corner and Rose Walk on Main Senior Living Center. This is a great use of that space and will put residents within walking distance of downtown and all the amenities of the Old Meridian corridor.