In a meeting Wednesday, the Historic Preservation Board denied Wabuck Development Company and REB Architects to move ahead with design plans for the Nicky Hayden Apartment building at the corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets.
The board cited six items that didn’t meet standards outlined in Article 21 of the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission downtown zoning ordinance.
In a letter sent to REB, Downtown Design Administrator Dennis Wilson outlined those six standards, which ranged from minimum ground elevation, windows covering 30 percent of the facade and windows fronting all streets.
Anthony Elmore of Wabuck Development was present for the meeting Wednesday. Elmore said because this project is funded by the Kentucky Housing Corporation and an Affordable Housing Program grant by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, the budget is tight. To be exact, the 12-unit apartment complex is expected to cost $1,569,840, according to Elmore.
“There is a finite amount of resources that were available for this,” Elmore said. “This a labor of love, definitely not a big project or typically what we do, but it’s for a good cause.”
Elmore said told the board he recognized the items that are not in line with Article 21 guidelines, but stressed he has to meet guidelines for the Kentucky Housing Corporation as well.
“This building needs to be built and will provide a lot of value to that area,” Elmore said.
According to Thad Gunderson, director of the Daniel Pitino Shelter, criminal records present a problem when trying to get clients out of the shelter and into government housing. Gunderson said the Nicky Hayden Apartments would not have those same rules and would allow the Pitino Shelter and other shelters to help transition the homeless to permanent housing.
The Nicky Hayden Apartments were made possible after Earl Hayden cleared the land across the street from the Pitino Shelter and donated it in honor of their late son, after whom the building will be named.
“We will have 300 women and children in a year through the Pitino shelter, but transitioning them to permanent housing is tough,” Gunderson said.
The lot is a perfect location, Gunderson said, sitting just across from the Pitino Shelter, with easy access to public transportation.
“We’re not against the Pitino Shelter, but we are however, charged with upholding the commission and rules of Article 21,” said Board Chairman Ted Lolley.
After Elmore and the board discussed the six changes that needed to be made to the building design, two items were accepted and the other four were rejected. A motion was approved for the downtown design administrator to work with Wabuck and REB on correcting the remaining four issues.
“Every community’s needs and requirements are different,” Elmore said. “We are committed to meeting the requirements of the Historic Preservation Board to move this project forward on behalf of the Shelter so they can continue their good work in Owensboro.”
