Planning Commission lays groundwork for apartment
The New Prague Planning Commission unanimously recommended a proposed amendment that will allow a first floor apartment at 410 Main St. W. The action taken at the commission’s Wednesday, Dec. 21, meeting amends a conditional use permit for the building that was formerly the Heritage Inn Motel.
The owner of the building (Mediterranean Properties, LLC) is proposing the unit on the south end of the building be changed into a resident manager occupied apartment. The two story structure was most recently used as a motel in 2003. It was remodeled and renovated in 2004. At that time, the units on the second floor of the building were converted into three apartments and the first floor units were made into three commercial spaces. Only one space has been rented, which currently houses Hollow Point Firearms.
City Planning Director Ken Ondich explained that the current owner of the building noted that the middle unit has remained unrented over the past five years. The rear unit, proposed for conversion, was rented for a total of 10 months out of the past five years. Both city staff and the building’s owner believe since the two commercial spaces are not visible from Main Street, it makes them difficult to rent.
He noted the last time the commission discussed the property was at a March 28, 2007 meeting. The building’s owner at that time was Paul Kamish and was seeking input from the commission about converting the three bottom commercial spaces into apartments. The commission in 2007 would not consider main floor apartments.
Ondich said that twice for what is now the Broz Hotel the New Prague City Council approved conditional use permits for main floor units. The first was on January 9, 2006 to allow nine residential condominium units, some were to be on the first floor. The second was on December 6, 2010 to allow a main floor owner-occupied apartment. Neither of these conversions occurred.
The complex has a driveway and there is parking space on site. Ondich noted a vacant lot to the west is owned by a different party. The rear unit would require....
To see more on this story pick up the December 29, 2016 print edition of The New Prague Times.
