The Park City Planning Commission on Wednesday rejected a bid to redevelop the land where The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Park City — The Yarrow is located, casting a pivotal vote on a concept that was notable for the location and for the prominence of the stalwart lodging property.
The panel voted 5-1 to deny the application for a project at 1800 Park Ave. Planning Commissioner Rick Shand dissented. Park City officials prior to the meeting issued a report recommending the Planning Commission consider a denial.
The height of the concept was a sticking point throughout the months of discussions about the proposal. The zoning that underlies the location limits building height to 35 feet, with the developer in the case of 1800 Park Ave. allowed to seek an exception based on the sort of application it is pursuing, known as a master planned development.
Materials that were drafted by City Hall supporting a potential denial indicated the proposal involved building heights topping out at 45 feet and 49 feet for elevator shafts and mechanical equipment. The height of the project is crucial since the overall designs hinge on that aspect of the concept.
The Planning Commission received a limited amount of testimony prior to the vote. A representative of a nearby condominium association urged the panel to work toward an approval, citing community benefits. Another speaker noted the bloc of units in the project that were to be set aside as restricted affordable housing.
The Planning Commissioners, though, continued to note the height even as the developer’s side indicated there were no modifications.
The proposal from Chicago-based owner Singerman Real Estate entails 170 condominium-hotel units and 60 restricted affordable residential units. The concept also involves a restaurant-bar, office space, retail space and accessory square footage like meeting space.
The discussions were made more noteworthy with the location being at the high-profile intersection of Park Avenue and Kearns Boulevard. The project has also been seen by some as a potential catalyst for wider redevelopment in the Bonanza Park district, an area that is considered to be ripe for improvements.