Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A controversial five-story residential project in downtown Brighton was granted preliminary site plan approval by the City Planning Commission Monday night.

“Allor on North Street” is a proposed multi-family apartment structure spanning across two parcels downtown known as 300 West North Street and 131 Hyne Street. Currently, Fifth-Third Bank occupies a building on the subject property and will be moving operations into the new multi-tenant structure at 265 W. Main Street, with their former location being demolished.

The new development consists of 144 apartment units and 411 parking spaces. It is four-stories in height at the west end along Hyne Street, and increases to five-stories on the east side of the structure where the current bank building is located. The proposed use would require 281 parking spaces, with 130 for public parking. There would be courtyards and an outdoor swimming pool surrounded by glass on the upper level – which developers stated would be similar to an “aquarium”.

Project representatives provided an overview prior to a public hearing last night.

Around 30 residents and business owners were in attendance – with the majority opposed but respectful of rules and spoke their piece.

The biggest concerns were traffic, including the Alley Street between Main and North Streets, and the potential negative impact on business owners for parking and deliveries. It was noted that alley is not meant to be for pedestrian-use, although many utilize it, and it’s intended primarily for businesses. It would not be widened as part of the proposed project.
Parallel parking on North Street would be preserved and it was stated the project doesn’t encroach on the City right-of-way or property. Hyne Street would be the only entrance for parking.

One business owner asserted “Hyne Street cannot take this kind of abuse” as it’s a main throughfare and a “lifeline” - as is the Alley Street for “every one of their businesses” since trucks can’t go down Main Street.

One resident stated she feared the small-town vibe will be gone with all of the high-density development – also the impact on traffic during school start and dismissal times, which is already bad. Various residents also touched on all of the other big and controversial projects that have taken place in recent years. Another felt the current construction by developers in the area is already extremely dangerous for families and walkability – saying people have been patient through projects but it negates the progress made thus far by rushing into another large-scale one. One requested the project be scaled back as the community is “busting at the seams” and many feel “it’s falling apart”.

One business owner spoke generally in favor of the project but felt it could be better with a mixed-use component, adding he thought all of the concerns raised were legitimate.

The Planned Unit Development or PUD application was submitted by DA Building, with preliminary site plan approval being granted. The two opposing votes came from Vice Chair David Petrak and Commissioner Steve Monet, who announced he would not be seeking another term. People in the audience were encouraged to apply for the upcoming vacancy.

Monet commented that he’s been through most of the tough controversies and developments over the years and frankly, he has supported them because he felt there was a need for more residential in the long term. However, Monet said he feels they “really over-reached” with this project in the downtown area. He noted having three-stories downtown caused a lot of “indigestion” and he can’t see any reason they need to step up to a five-story facility.
Petrak also cited size, height, and scale for his “no” vote.

Some commissioners thanked developers for making substantial changes following a previous meeting, including building aesthetics and materials for a better look and fit with the downtown.

Many also shared concerns with residents about traffic and construction logistics – including staging and the amount of material that will need to be hauled and removed from the site. However, the importance of having a vibrant downtown and economic benefits were also referenced.

As for the parking aspect, there would be dedicated parking for residents and guests and then the public – with the majority on the lower levels and not seen. However, one resident asserted during the public hearing that she was the only person in the audience at a prior meeting and it was specifically stated that parking would not be for free – also that the two-bedroom apartments will cost over $2,000 a month. The cost for parking is not believed to have been officially clarified during the meeting, but the applicants did state they were initially looking at license plate scanner technology to avoid backups and keep things moving.

It was stated the water and sewer system had more than adequate capacity for the development.

The motion included language that stated the preliminary approval “is contingent upon the execution of the Project Development Agreement contemplated in the Development Partnership Agreement executed by the City and the Applicant on December 18, 2023”.

City Manager Gretchen Gomolka provided the following statement to WHMI:

“A portion of the property included in the proposed development was previously leased by the City of Brighton’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for public parking. After selling the property to DA Building, the previous owner terminated the City’s lease. DA Building also purchased the adjacent property formerly owned by Fifth Third Bank. Understanding that their acquisitions and development plans would reduce public parking downtown, DA Building has incorporated approximately 130 public parking spaces into their proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD). The City appreciates DA Building’s thoughtful design, which not only replaces but increases the availability of public parking in the area”.

As for next steps, the project would need to obtain final approvals from both the Planning Commission and City Council to move forward.

More on the project and elevations can be viewed in the meeting packet. That link is provided.