ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040014
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRISTINA NUCKOLS STAFF WRITER
It's probably obvious to passing motorists that the sign in front of the Deer Cross apartments - reading Open Spring 1996 - could use an update.
But eight years after the development was first announced, no one's living there yet. Bulldozers are shoveling red dirt on the 25-acre site at Colonial Avenue and Ogden Road. The recent groundbreaking was a significant milestone for Occidental Development Corp. of Indianapolis, Ind. The developer that has been trying to build the luxury apartment complex since 1988.
Occidental has stayed with the project through neighborhood opposition and litigation, and the developer still is embroiled in disputes with Roanoke County over the cost of utility hook-ups and with the Virginia Department of Transportation over road improvements.
Nevertheless, Occidental officials said the apartments will be ready to rent in the spring of 1997.
Plans call for one- and two-bedroom apartments in a $10 million complex that will include lakes, a health club, racquetball facilities and a swimming pool. Donald Wetherington, a Roanoke lawyer representing Occidental, said monthly rents will range from $550 to $750. The intended market is young professionals and "empty nesters," older couples with no children living at home.
John Houchin, Occidental's general superintendent of construction, said his company has remained committed to its completion.
Original plans called for Deer Cross as a mix of multifamily and commercial zoning. Hundreds of residents from the Georgetown Park and Greenwood Forest subdivisions opposed Occidental's rezoning request, which was denied by the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. Occidental returned in 1988 with a second, successful rezoning request which was limited to apartments.
However, in August 1990, Occidental asked to revise its plans. The original plans called for 146 one-bedroom units and 118 two-bedroom units for a total of 264 apartments. The revision would have retained the same number of apartments, but would have resulted in 36 three-bedroom units.
County planners estimated that the change would generate 52 children, up from 17 anticipated under the original plans. Supervisors refused Occidental's request because of concern about overcrowding at Green Valley Elementary School.
The two sides reached a settlement in November 1992 to allow more two-bedroom apartments but no three-bedroom units.
Wetherington said at that point the company decided to delay the project because the market for luxury apartments began to sour in the early 1990s. The market has since improved.
Although work has begun, two issues still must be resolved.
County Attorney Paul Mahoney said Occidental wants to base its water and sewer connection fees on rates that were in use when it first rezoned the property. Between 1991 and 1995, however, the per unit residential water hook-up jumped from $1,036 and $2,690 and sewer rose from $500 to $1,500 as the county began paying for the Spring Hollow reservoir and regional sewage treatment plant. Those increases amount to about $700,000 in dispute, Mahoney said.
Also, Occidental is debating with VDOT over improvement to the intersection of Colonial and Ogden. Houchin said VDOT added requirements this summer that include a left-turn lane into the complex, a longer right-turn lane and new traffic signals. Houchin said the dispute ran into six figures.
Residents say they are concerned about traffic but are confident that Occidental will follow through on promises to plant trees and keep the swimming pool away from neighbors.
"They have tried to make themselves more acceptable," said David Courey, who was president of the Georgetown Park Civic Association when the original rezoning request was considered. "It probably will be livable. We probably will be able to get along with them."
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: WAYNE DEEL/Staff. Groundbreaking has begun for theby CNBluxury complex at Colonial Avenue and Ogden Road. color.