Planning staff presents full and partial preservation alternatives for Stonestown redevelopment; no approvals requested

Planning Department staff on Wednesday presented two preservation alternatives for the Stonestown redevelopment, asking the Historic Preservation Commission to comment before the department publishes a draft environmental impact report (EIR).

Allison Vanderslice, Planning Department staff, and Chris (Planning Department staff) described a proposed master-planned, multi-phased redevelopment of the approximately 27-acre Stonestown site at 3251 Twentieth Avenue. The project sponsor, Brookfield Properties, proposes to retain the mall with minor facade changes and to build roughly 2,930 residential units across the site, add retail and institutional space, hotel use, a childcare facility, and about 4,250 parking spaces. The project team said the proposal would demolish four structures on the site, including the UA Stonestown Twin Theatre at 501 Buckingham Way, which staff identified as an individually eligible historic resource under the city’s evaluation criteria.

Planning staff presented two preservation alternatives for analysis in the draft EIR. The full preservation alternative would retain the theater and convert the building into a multifamily use that the presentation described as 10 residential units in the northwest residential area; staff said that alternative would produce about 310 units in the project’s northwest residential area and roughly 2,770 units citywide under the redeveloped plan, fewer than the proposed project’s counts. The partial preservation alternative would retain the building’s primary facade, lobby and sunken courtyard while demolishing the rear auditorium volume; staff said that alternative would yield roughly 400 northwest-area units and approximately 2,860 units in total while providing about 4,000 square feet of institutional space.

Courtney Pash, representing Brookfield Properties, told commissioners the project team expects to rezone the entire site through a development agreement and that proposed heights reflect code and fire-safety analysis, community input and site grade constraints. Staff emphasized the presentation was advisory: no land-use approvals were requested at the Commission meeting and the department will return with the draft EIR early next year.

Commissioners split on priorities. Commissioner Foley urged approval of the large mixed-use project to deliver housing and construction jobs, saying "the only way we're gonna solve this" citywide housing shortfall is through large projects with experienced developers. Commissioner Black, speaking as an architectural historian, called the theater an "excellent example" of the new formalism style in the city and said she supported the partial preservation alternative that would retain the front portion for community or lobby use while allowing demolition of non-character-defining rear elements. Commissioner Nargis Warren urged stronger CEQA-focused alternatives, including considering open space between St. Stephen Catholic Church and the Twin Theatre and densifying other areas to preserve a sense of place while adding housing.

Public commenters voiced competing priorities. Michael Vitrelis said he supported retaining as much of the theater as possible and converting portions for community use, and urged the project team to reduce retail area and parking while emphasizing public-transportation and bicycle access.

The commission also handled related procedural business earlier in the meeting: commissioners unanimously adopted draft minutes for the Aug. 17, 2022 meeting, and a recusal for Commissioner Wright on the Stonestown case was approved. Staff said they have enough information to proceed with drafting the EIR and will return for commission comment on the EIR next year.