Flagstaff P&Z OK’s Multifamily Mixed-Use Project

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX 
An undeveloped, forested 13.65-acre site at the NWC of Fourth Street and Butler Avenue in Flagstaff may become the site of a new horizontal multifamily mixed-use development. 
The owner, Flagstaff at 4th, LLC, also shown as Caliber Companies on the documents submitted to the city, is requesting to rezone the site, which is bounded to the north and east by Sinagua Middle School, to the south by Butler Avenue and to the West by Pinehurst at Flagstaff Apartment Complex, from Medium Density Residential to Highway Commercial. 
The project, called The Elkwood, will mostly be made up of four, 62.7KSF four-story apartment buildings consisting of a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units totaling 224 residential units. Another component to the project that will anchor the multifamily development at the SEC of the site includes a single-story, detached commercial retail building approximately 6KSF in size. 
The multifamily component will also include a centrally located 4.8KSF clubhouse/leasing office with outdoor pool and grilling area. The Elkwood will be adjacent to surrounding amenities including a civic amphitheater and connecting pocket park. 
The Elkwood will, “emulate the venerated design traditions of the City of Flagstaff, while simultaneously expressing a warm and contemporary rustic vernacular.” According to the project documents. “The apartment building development will be centralized in upper portion of the site, in the less forested and gently sloped portion of the property. Thus, tree removal will be minimized, and the buildings will be aligned to take in the views to Mt. Eldon, the nearby San Francisco Peaks towards the north and Mogollon Rim views to the south.” 
Design elements include stone veneer, wood siding, gabled metal roofs, and exposed wood. Site design includes on-site parking located toward the northeast area of the multifamily component and on both sides of the retail building, as well as sidewalks and trails with interspersed benches that connect each building.  
Access to the site will be from N. Fourth Street, with a limited access drive to be located on Butler Avenue. 
The City of Flagstaff heard and approved the rezoning at its July 8th Planning and Zoning Commission meeting with a request that the owner, “explore water conservation options before they go before council.”