New Zoning and Student Housing Development Fails to get Votes
The City of Lubbock Planning and Zoning Commission held a three hour public hearing on November 3. The hearing was in regards to a proposed new five story student housing facility with a restaurant/retail space and three story parking facility in the Tech Terrace neighborhood by a Chicago based company, Up Campus Properties. The facilities would be built over the area where Cafe J and other neighboring buildings are currently located.
Many residents expressed their concern about what the development of this new student housing would bring to the neighborhood. The student housing would have 250 units with at least 700 beds and the parking structure is estimated to have enough space for 500 vehicles. Resident's had previously expressed that traffic safety was already in issue within the neighborhood and that this structure would add onto the congestion of many daily commutes. A few of the residents of Tech Terrace are in favor of the development just not in favor of its placement which is their neighborhood.
Stephen Bus is the developer for the project and argued that the housing was needed for Texas Tech University and was supported by George Hardberger who owns the property. After three hours of hearing testimonies in favor and in opposition to the project the Planning & Zoning Commission’s ultimately voted against a zoning change and the planned student housing. The Planning and Zoning Commission's vote to deny the zoning change and student housing will go before the City Council on November 16. The PDF for the student housing proposal for the Up Campus development can be found online.