The Ridgeland Zoning Board recommended denying a petition for a proposed 30-acre mixed-use development on Highland Colony Parkway last night at a packed hearing at Ridgeland City Hall.
Over 100 people attended the hearing to make their views on the project known. All but one person, developer Andrew Mattiace, spoke against the project. Board members Don Roberts, Judy Roberts, Theresa Kennedy, Larry Miller, Burney Gissner, and Michelle Caballero voted to recommend denying the petition while Drew Malone voted nay. Tabitha Baum was absent.
The controvsersy began when Mattiace Properties submitted a petition for a conditional use permit for residential dwelling units (otherwise known as apartments.). The property lies north of Highland Colony Baptist Church and south of the future UMC campus. It is bounded by I-55 on the east and Highland Colony Parkway on the west. The property is currently zoned Mixed-used District (MU-1).
The proposed $70 million development would have 500 rental units. The developer never used the word "apartments" but kept using the term "residential dwelling units" at the hearing. There will be no condos or townhomes in the project. The petition states:
The proposed development will be a mixed-use project with office space, retail stores and restaurants with a residential component to complete the mixed-use nature of the project, which with the nearby developments will be consistent with the growin national trend of live, work, dine and play projects with walkable features. The adjacent properties are offices and churches and a proposed medical campus. The residential dwelling units are compatible with, and complementary to, the adjacent properties as the units will provide residences for employees of the businesses and future businesses and members of the churches within a reasonable walking and/or biking distance. Therefore, the project represents a compatible use for the existing properties and the proposed medical campus by providing conveniently located residences.
The owner of the property is Highland Colony Land Company, LLC. The manager of the company is Don Cannada. The owner of the LLC is Woodlands Realty Group. The owner of Woodlands is none other than Jim Barksdale.
The Board of Aldermen will consider the petition at its regular meeting on May 3 although it may be discussed at its May 2 work session.
52 comments:
Good. Now will the Mayor pull a Lumumba?
@11:13- if he does, it wouldn’t be the first time.
Ridgeland already has tons of apartments, whats a few more?
So that a no vote on affordable housing for Ridgeland. Unfreakin believable. Good luck getting working folk in the service industry you racist basterds.
I wonder if the housing authorities or maybe the ACLU will sue over housing discrimination.
They can’t fill the retail shops at Renaissance or keep restaurants around for long.
This will not be mixed use. It’s simply more apartments.
Ridgeland is the Kardashians of the metro. Money hungry and trashy.
He’s got the votes or he wouldn’t be doing this
@12:14 plenty of affordable housing in Jackson and plenty of available space in which to build new apartment housing.
@12:14 Based on what I was told by a member of the zoning committee there would be nothing affordable about these apartments. Rent on them would be $2,000 a month if his info is correct.
Now let's see whose hands have been greased, evidenced by voting yes for this project.
God forbid residents don't want cool stuff. And that's why the young are leaving. TaTa for now!
Good. Apartments are like trailers. They depreciate rapidly and become eyesores and home to trouble
“ So that a no vote on affordable housing for Ridgeland. Unfreakin believable. Good luck getting working folk in the service industry you racist basterds.
April 22, 2022 at 12:14 PM”
Yeah working places like Jackson have tons of retail opportunities.
Per the developer a person would need an income of $67,000 to qualify to rent one of these proposed units.
I also heard that Gene McGee is in favor of this development.
April 22, 2022 at 12:17 PM what are you talking about? Guess what? YOU DON'T KNOW! Because I have a shop and eat there everyday. As things turnover, they are filled. Nature of the business, especially after Covid.
More Palm Grease Jim
500 rental units on 30 acrs with office complexs, restaraunts and entertainment businesses????? Yea...this ain't no township or high end condos. This is apartments plain and simple. You couldn't fit 500 nice townhomes or condos with all that other stuff on 60 acres much less 30. First battle goes to the good guys We will see if the city aldermen uphold will of the people or fall prey to these commercial tycoon artists.
Haven't we already seen what 'live, work, dine and play' does to Ridgeland, the apartment capital of this state?
Mr. Mattiace probably ascribes to the Biden program of using softer pronouns as well. All he left out of his speech was how many electric charging stations would be included in the development. Wait! Nobody will need a car!
12:14 - There are a thousand apartments in the Ridgeland area and 700 brand new ones a few miles north on 55 and a whale of a lot of 'openings' in the service industry where you can't get folks to work.
Don't be fooled by the bait and switch of $67K income to live there. That might (might, I say) be true for two years, then the income requirement to pay the reduced rent due to crime and torn up apartments will reduce to $22K and 'we take Snap'.
How's that 'live, work, dine and play' working out for Lost Rabbit. Does a single soul work or dine out there?
12:17 - Are you familiar with the term 'Conditional Use' as relates to zoning? Try to catch up before opining again.
The majority of people in Ridgeland are homeowners. Seems to me the city would like to keep it that way. I mean, it’s not like more apartments are needed in the area. Not too mention the majority of the crimes committed are associated with apartment addresses.
1:25 THE LAST THING JIM NEEDS IS PALM GREASE AND ON THE FLIP SIDE HE WOULD NEVER GREASE A PALM. DON'T BE JEALOUS OF SOMEONE'S SUCCESS BECAUSE OF YOUR LACK THEREOF.
Izzat the same Gene McGee who promised to adhere to a rule of no more than four stories high for buildings in this same area? Whoops.
12:56 PM
Correct. According to my wife, my sister-in-law used to live in The Trace of Ridgeland 20 years ago. It's gone down hill.
1:48 - If eventually the development is denied and challenged, your facts won't amount to shit in a courtroom. The whole premise of Conditional Use is a governing body having a legal path to denial based on whether or not the proposal represents a development that fits community standards, the existing aesthetics, plan and use of the specific area where the proposed project is laid out.
The city would be wise to expand its Conditional Use zoning ordinance section to include vaping, med MJ, check cashing, bikini-line sculpting and hip injections...Otherwise, Ridgeland gonna Ridgeland.
Apartment are usually very nice when they open, but 25 years later they become Section8 housing. They will shine and attract quality people for a while, then they will change seemingly overnight. Why not make them condos?
one of the few hard and fast rules in the real estate business is that bringing in renters is the absolute death knell for property values .
So the Township is doomed?
This appears to be a nice development , etc. The problem is - some people will join together and rent one unit. Then you have 8-12 or more people coming and going, living there.
Newsflash, some places are not affordable to live. Right smack in the middle of the proposed site is not what I would call "affordable". Typically places that are "affordable housing" are in a "less desirable" location. That's kind of the way real estate works. When someone tries to interject affordable housing in the middle of an expensive and desirable real estate market, 9 times of 10 it brings the value of real estate that people actually own(not rent) down, not up. Thus the reasoning of the neighbors protesting it.
Why would someone pay $2k/month for an apartment when you can have a house payment for 1200/month?
I attended that meeting because I own a home in Ridgeland. Many of the people who spoke to oppose this development said if Mattiace wanted to offer condos in the space, they would have no problem with the development. I agree with that. But I will be surprised if McGee and his cronies don't approve this against the recommendation of the zoning board. He doesn't lose an opportunity to throw homeowners under the bus. That has been his pattern for decades. Mattiace has no interest in doing what will improve the quality of life in Ridgeland. His only interest is in padding his bottom line. One of the zoning board members commented last night that 50% of the housing units in Ridgeland, including rental houses and apartments, are rental units. We don't need more apartments. We need leadership that will increase homeownership and investment.
Conditional use allows residential/apartments over retail. Doesn’t matter how many people show up to complain or even if board of Aldermen vote it down. Courts will side with developer as it’s an allowed use under these conditions. Funny that Mayor Mary sent the City Attorney to speak against the project. Got my popcorn ready!
4:37 Just stop. If you ever left your basement in your fine Ridgeland home, you would know that there are developments like this all over the country. You are probably one who opposes everything new. You also don't know MR. Mattiace or have a clue about his interest. Everything he has done is quality. We love Renaissance and I'm sure this would be just as nice.
430, if you believe you can get a house with a mortgage at 1200/mo these days, you're dreaming, or you're living in west Jackson. nothing near that site would be even close.
@12:17PM.
I Did Not Realize Ridgeland Was Tacky Now... That's unfortunate. Thank goodness my neighborhood is putting up 6 metal gates to help keep us from being victimized by the criminal element in Jackson...
Y'all yap about Mattiace but it's Barksdale who is the major backer.
The District 4 School Board rep spoke publicly at the meeting. Some of the things he said about children coming from apartments and how they negatively impact the school district were very surprising to hear someone say on the record. Not sure someone with those views should be on a school board. A former teacher stood and spoke following him, and shamed him and others for the stereotyping of children from apartment complexes. Will be interesting to see if Kingfish gets the court reporter’s notes from the meeting and publishes them. Not sure that the school board would want those words on the record for all to see.
Who paid the court reporter to attend/take notes anyway?
Well, here is what I've been told about the apartment kids and it makes sense. The kids tend to be rather transient and they float in and out of the school district. Unfortunately, they are usually coming from crap school systems such as JPS and Canton so that means they start behind usually in math and reading unless they are starting out really young with the school system. When you get to the higher grades, it gets worse. Not saying the kids can't learn. Most of them can. it's just that they are short changed by their families moving around and thus don't get a solid foundation in school then if they just stayed put for years.
"4:37 Just stop. If you ever left your basement in your fine Ridgeland home, you would know that there are developments like this all over the country."
No, not *all over* this great big ol' country, with its large rural areas, down-trodden urban areas, etc. There are developments like this sprinkled AROUND the country but they are only "successful" in very limited areas with very specific housing markets and needs, demographics, etc., if "successful" means turning out for all or nearly all parties as promoted by the developer.
I have no information specifically for or against 500 rental units/apartments in a "mixed use" development in Ridgeland because it isn't something that I or anyone who might seek my investment would normally have any interest. I do have information on similar projects AROUND the country and based upon that information, I can say emphatically that my interest in one in Ridgeland could not be piqued. I have no idea of the motivations of any of the parties promoting this development but I cannot help but wonder if EB-5s have anything to do with this. If so and I had a dog in the fight (I do not), that would be an area of concern.
I've been to the Renaissance Mall a few times recently. Lots of empty storefronts. Both sides of Apple are empty. Charlie's just closed (again). No one to replace Ethan Allen >3 years. Never had a tenant upstairs at the Malco theater. P.F. Chang's did get a replacement.
Overall, nearly one-third empty.
A condo is a two story apartment, often with a garage, right? Why the hell would people be in favor of a two story apartment but not a one story apartment?
If you think McGee is trying to destroy Ridgeland, just wait til you elect Gerald Steen to succeed him.
Section 8 vouchers can be used anywhere. In ten years when the apartments aren't so new they will be very affordable to anyone.
12:43 Go more often. You’ll see construction and more soon. If you haven’t noticed there has been a pandemic for the past couple of years. Retail expansion stopped and stores closed everywhere. Our market opened sooner and faired better than most.
Hailed as a place where people can walk to work! People making slightly above minimum wage can’t afford a 1500-2000 dollar apartment. Give me a break! 500 plus apartments is the ultimate goal. Most of the acreage will be taken up in parking for all the residents. Got to 700 or more cars!
Gene tries to do whatever HE wants, just Like Laboomba in Jackson and Fisher in Clinton….nothing new here, just the same old playground bullies.
I was not at the meeting but have questions….how is this development good for the city of Ridgeland and it’s tax-paying residents?
How many times has the City Council voted against the recommendation of the Zoning Board, and who were the developers who were given the green light?
"A condo is a two story apartment, often with a garage, right? Why the hell would people be in favor of a two story apartment but not a one story apartment?"
A condominium is usually SOLD, not RENTED. There is an extraordinary difference in stability for the neighborhood or township when those that live there have have sunk what is usually the biggest purchase they will ever make into their housing, as opposed to the sterotypical transient, fly-by-nighters who are frequently blamed for the instability of places where the majority of those who live there have no long-term interest in the community.
This in not anything new to smart people who spend their money wisely with the long-term results in mind.
Remember that Gene McGee feels entitled to lie to the public if a developer wants him to.
"430, if you believe you can get a house with a mortgage at 1200/mo these days, you're dreaming, or you're living in west Jackson. nothing near that site would be even close.
April 22, 2022 at 6:15 PM"
I live one mile away in the Cypress Lake subdivision and my mortgage is 1280\month.
"430, if you believe you can get a house with a mortgage at 1200/mo these days, you're dreaming, or you're living in west Jackson. nothing near that site would be even close.
April 22, 2022 at 6:15 PM"
I live one mile away in the Cypress Lake subdivision and my mortgage is 1280\month.
2:38: I’m in Dinsmor. Same.
The Township has been referenced multiple l times in the comments. My understanding is that there are only 12 loft apartments located there with around 120 owner/occupied residencies.
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