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Homeowners in north side neighborhood get preview of proposed apartment complex

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Homeowners in a north side neighborhood finally got a preview of an apartment complex that could be popping up next door.

Milhaus Development unveiled new renderings of its proposed apartment building that would replace the old AT&T site just south of the intersection of College Avenue and Kessler Boulevard.

Neighbors want to see something built there instead of a just looking at an unused parking lot, but they’re quite particular about what the something should look like.

“I mean it should be redeveloped. It’s a big chunk of land,” said neighbor, John Hamilton.

His house is literally, right next to the old AT&T lot in the Meridian Kessler neighborhood, an area with its own look showcasing brick homes with unique designs.

Needless to say he and several others weren’t big fans of the type of apartment complex the previous developer, TWG, came up with this spring.

“The last design was straight off Mass Avenue and College Avenue down farther south,” he said. “That’s not this neighborhood. It never has been.”

Jake Deitrich is the Milhaus Director of Development and said the company did its best to work within what neighbors requested.

“I think this neighborhood deserves something that has a certain stature to it and that’s what we’ve been working towards putting forth,” he said,

Dietrich, as well as an architect, unveiled new renderings of their proposal at a neighborhood meeting.

The apartment would have 100 units, about 50 fewer than what TWG proposed. It maintains the brick appearance. The structure is also split into three buildings, preventing it from looking like a huge wall stretching hundreds of feet along College Avenue.

The building would also have 9,000 square feet of retail space and an underground parking garage.

“I’m pretty excited about what we have. I think our design team has done an awesome job of listening to their concerns and I think it’s going to be an awesome project,” said Deitrich.

The fence separating Hamilton’s yard from the lot will remain there among several other intricacies Milhaus tried to honor. The trees on College Avenue won’t be cut down and the alley behind the apartment would be block off to apartment residents, prevented traffic from building up on the small road.

The question now is whether or not neighbors are ready to buy in.

“I’ll give them props that they’ve been far more willing to at least give the appearance they’re working with us,” said Hamilton.

Tuesday night’s meeting was the third time Milhaus met with neighbors.

Next month, Deitrich said they will ask for the neighborhood’s approval to rezone the space.

If approved, Deitrich said construction would start later this year.