Developers preview four-story hotel and rooftop event space for 419 Phoenix Street in South Haven

A development team proposing a mixed commercial project at 419 Phoenix Street, the former Golden Brown Bakery, presented a concept review to the South Haven Planning Commission on June 4 seeking a deviation to allow roughly 47 feet and a fourth-level rooftop amenity above the Central Business District height limit.

The applicant, Cottage Home, represented by Brian Boscraf (president and owner), described plans for remodeled ground-floor retail, about 12 hotel rooms on the second and third floors and a rooftop event and wellness space with parapet, sauna and a hot tub. "We're primarily a design build new construction company," Boscraf said, adding his team has worked across multiple municipalities and would oversee interior finishes and construction. Project manager Eric Ludvigarry said the proposal asks for a two-foot height deviation to make rooftop egress and safety more economical while preserving street-level character.

Why it matters: the project sits in the Central Business District, where the zoning ordinance currently caps buildings at 45 feet and three stories. A successful PUD could set a local precedent for rooftop amenities and story-count interpretations, and commissioners stressed the need to balance downtown economic activity with neighborhood character and public-safety concerns.

Commissioners sought concrete operational details. "Is there going to be a spot for like a front desk?" one commissioner asked; Ludvigarry said management and check-in arrangements remain to be defined but that remote check-in and an on-call attendant were possible. Commissioners also asked whether the rooftop would be restricted to hotel guests or available for public rental; Ludvigarry said the intent is primarily for guests but that off-season rentals might be considered.

Parking and public benefits drew scrutiny. The concept currently shows three on-site spaces (previous drafts listed four) plus an off-site shuttle arrangement; commissioners noted that if rooftop space is available for public events, the special-land-use rules in the CBD may require parking to "accommodate all uses on the site." A commissioner pointed to Section 19-041 (special land use) language requiring a hotel lobby and a minimum amount of active frontage on the ground floor; staff and the applicant were asked to clarify how the design will comply.

Height and character became a central theme. Several commissioners recommended the city consider a broader, council-led review of downtown height and story limits rather than repeatedly granting PUD exceptions. One commissioner summarized the tension: "If we're going to approve a deviation that adds another floor, I think we need to see something more than just a few parking spaces."

Noise and safety concerns about the rooftop hot tub and open amenity spaces were raised repeatedly. Commissioners asked the applicant to provide operational rules, enclosed or acoustic designs if needed, and a plan to prevent items from falling to the street; Ludvigarry noted parapet walls of 48 inches are proposed and that acoustic mitigation is possible.

No formal approvals were requested or taken; the session was a concept review intended to gather commission feedback. Staff advised the team that more detailed drawings, operational plans (lobby/check-in, management/24-hour contact), parking clarifications and explicit responses to CBD special-land-use standards will be expected at a future public hearing.

The commission encouraged the applicant to better show how the project would "look like a hotel" rather than a cluster of short-term rental units and advised staff to confirm ordinance references and parking obligations in the next submittal. The concept review will return to the commission if the applicants file a formal PUD or special-land-use application.