The specifics
The 18-acre site is located on the northwest corner of US 75 and SH 121, and is adjacent to another multifamily development on about 16 acres to the northwest. The project site has been rezoned previously to allow for a variety of uses, none of which have worked out due to issues with accessing the site, applicant Martin Sanchez said.
“When the [US] 75 and [SH] 121 interchange was built, it effectively eliminated all of the curb cut access that we anticipated we would have,” Sanchez said. “We went through the public process with [the Texas Department of Transportation] and said ‘Guys, the way you are designing this, you’re basically killing this corner.'”
The site has limited access off of the neighboring highway corridor, including a limited number of access points off of the SH 121 access road directly adjacent to the property, Sanchez said.
As part of the requested rezoning for the site, the property was subdivided to allow for the development of multifamily units on the eastern 11 acres.
The multifamily development would have a density of 60 units per acre, as well as a requirement to build between four and six stories tall, according to the presentation. A parking garage or enclosed parking would also be required.
“We laid out a true urban project [with] structured parking, verticality, all of the things that say I am going to spend over $100 million on this when it’s all said and done because there’s no other way for me to reap the value to make this work,” Sanchez said.
The high density and increased number of units would require the project to include an increased number of amenities, Director of Planning Jennifer Arnold said. Sanchez estimated the multifamily project would cost over $100 million due to the required parking structure and density.
The proposed hotel and other commercial uses would be located on the remaining about 7 acres on the western side, according to the presentation. Two hoteliers have expressed interest in developing a hotel on the site, with one proposing a mid-rise five- or six-story hotel and the other proposing a 10- or 12-story high-rise hotel, Sanchez said.
The western side of the property could also see retail or restaurants develop near the hotel, Sanchez said.
What they’re saying
City Council approved the rezoning in a 6-1 vote, with Mayor Pro Tem Charlie Philips voting against the item.
“I know it's difficult to develop because it's on the curb of the service road, but that's also the gateway to McKinney, Texas,” Philips said. “I certainly don’t want the first thing people to see in McKinney is a six-story apartment complex.”
Council Member Patrick Cloutier supported the rezoning, saying it is the most marketable use for the site that is difficult to develop.
“I would love to see six stories; I would love to see wrap parking because what it does for me is it doesn’t let me see the garden apartments and the surface parking behind it, which is already the gateway to the city,” Cloutier said.
Council Member Geré Feltus also voted in support of the rezoning. Feltus noted the multifamily development has direct access to neighboring highways, helping to reduce any increased traffic on the city’s roadways due to the development.
“I like the idea as well of having a higher-density multifamily [development] at the perimeter of the city as opposed to having it on the interior where it’s closer to single-family [homes],” Feltus said.
Also on the agenda
- GraceToChange, a McKinney-based nonprofit that offers outpatient treatment and supportive services for people with substance use disorders, was awarded $100,000. The grant was funded by opioid crisis settlement proceeds from state-level litigation with various pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies.
- Council Member Charlie Philips was appointed mayor pro tem in a unanimous 6-0-1 vote by the council members, with Philips abstaining. Philips assumed the title after the preceding Mayor Pro Tem Rainey Rogers reached his term limit.
- A roughly half-acre site at 1719 W. Louisiana St. was rezoned to allow for the development of a small retail building, according to city documents. The site, formerly a car wash, will be demolished to make way for the 4,590-square-foot building planned for the site. The rezoning request also included restrictions to prohibit certain uses on the site, including a laundromat, a car wash, sexually oriented businesses, tattoo parlors and more, according to a presentation by city staff.
