Little Bar will remain a campus staple for the time being after UAC fails to pass bills that would tear down Little Bar and the University Baptist Church. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
The Columbus community won’t have to say goodbye to The Little Bar and the University Baptist Church just yet, as the University Area Commission failed to pass the proposal to replace the two with new apartment buildings Wednesday.
The commission failed to pass the proposal due to concerns about the buildings’ height and lack of parking spaces. American Campus Communities, a Texas-based national student housing development and managing company, brought the newest iteration of the project that features eight-story and six-story buildings before the full commission after it was approved by the UAC’s Zoning Committee Jan. 3.
Sam Newman, vice president for development at ACC, said the company had been working with the committee for about four months to scale down the bar and church one floor each.
Between the two sections, the plan included 10 floors for housing, three for 255 parking spaces, an area for retailers and a new space for the University Baptist Church.
Before the 11-4 vote by commissioners against the properties’ rescaling, the floor was opened to three Columbus residents who expressed concerns with the project.
Joe Motil, a longtime resident of the University District and Clintonville, said he wanted to see the height of the building on the corner of North High Street and Norwich Avenue decreased by the developer.
“I know the applicant has reduced the number of beds which has brought down the original proposed height, which, in my opinion and others’, is a typical ploy used by developers to falsely demonstrate compromise with residents and commissioners,” Motil said.
Some commissioners said they shared similar concerns with the height of the North High Street side of the building, which was proposed to stand at 88 feet. Other major concerns were a lack of parking, increased traffic on Norwich Avenue, affordability and precedent for similar developments continuing to be approved.
Zaida Jenkins, a fourth-year in public management, leadership and policy and one of the four on the commission who supported the project, said students are drawn to spaces, like those in the proposal, because they “are craving clean places to live” compared to other off-campus options.
After the vote did not pass the proposal onto the next stage, Newman said the company will “continue evaluating and getting community feedback.”
