City planner Jason Kulaszewski gave an update to commission members on two of those projects during a recent Planning Commission meeting.

Starting with Gateway Lofts, which Kulaszewski said was approved back in 2020, that project is now looking to come before the commission for an extension.

“Essentially their extension expires in March, so we’re hoping to request approval from you and both the Zoning Board of Appeals prior to the March deadline for extension,” Kulaszewski said.

He provided the commission with copies of the previously approved project extension, saying that it does not require a full approval process, as it is an extension. Kulaszewski added that the hope is to get someone from the project to come in and give an update on the project as it stands today. There are no changes being made to the project, the approval is just for an extension, and the plan is to ask those in charge to present at next month’s meeting.

An artist’s rendering of the Gateway Lofts is pictured. The project’s developers are looking for an extension of city Planning Commission approval for the project.

The initial Gateway Lofts approval was prior to the pandemic, with them getting their funding lined up following that. Kulaszewski said his understanding is that the project team has secured all of their funding and the extension would allow for them to start the permitting process and some of the construction work. Director of Public Works, Mark Roetzer, said they have been working with the project owner, Southern Tier Environments For Living, on work on easements in that area.

Another upcoming project is one from the county, the CARTS Transportation Hub. The hub will be outside of city hall in the vacant lot.

“They’ve submitted a request for us to review their project and they’ve had some updates, so that one will be on the agenda for next month,” Kulaszewski said. “This is really just a heads up about that project. I think it’s changed a bit since their original design to what it is now because of some environmental investigations that had to happen on the site.”

With these updates, the project is ready to move forward with some internal meetings to review the plans before they come to the Planning Commission, and then it will be on the Planning Commission’s agenda next month.