By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HYDE PARK - Neighborhood leaders and residents said Monday that they would support a proposed retail, office and condominium development on Hyde Park Square if the developers would cut two stories off the building - from six stories to four - and move it farther back off Erie Avenue.

The Hyde Park Neighborhood Council voted 6-3 to recommend that the city approve a zoning variance and building permit for the "Michigan Terrace" project if developers met those conditions. The board made the decision after listening to comments from more than 100 residents during a special meeting at Knox Presbyterian Church.

The neighborhood council has no decision-making power, but the city usually takes its recommendations under consideration when granting a variance.

Al Neyer Inc. and Lantrust Real Estate proposed a 75-foot-tall, 55,000-square-foot building at the site of the abandoned Shell gas station at Erie and Michigan avenues. The development would feature three retail shops on the first floor, offices on the second and 11 high-end condominiums on the top floors.

The developers said they have no signed tenants for the retail or office space, but added it would not be a restaurant. They also said they want to construct multilevel underground parking with 66 spaces at the site.

If built at six stories, Michigan Terrace would be the tallest structure in Hyde Park Square.

"We realize this is a significant piece of property," said Vince Bryant, managing partner of Lantrust, which also owns Teller's restaurant on Hyde Park Square. "We wanted to design a project that was very complimentary of the square."

He had no immediate comment on the request to cut the project down to four stories.

"I'm not in total disagreement with (the building) even though it looks like the Queen Mary coming down the street," said Norman Whittaker, 71, of Hyde Park. "If they could do something to soften it aesthetically, I'd be for it."

Chris Hauser, 34, was one of several residents who expressed excitement over the project. "We're long overdue for some type of development on the square," Hauser said. "High-end residential is highly needed here. That corner has been abandoned for a long time."

The city will hold a preliminary hearing on the zoning variance today at 10:30 a.m. at Two Centennial Plaza on Central Avenue. A public hearing will be Nov. 5, where a final decision on the application will be made.

---

E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com