Edwards rezoning request will likely come before council next month

Steve Simonetti, vice president of land development and acquisition for Edwards Companies, says a rezoning request to allow the developer to build a massive student housing complex at the Newman Whitney Machine site in College Hill will be heard by the Greensboro City Council in February. Simonetti was not certain, but he said he thinks the hearing will take place on Feb. 5. Earlier, the rezoning commission turned down the request.

The chancellor of nearby UNCG, whose students are the target market for the proposed apartments, recently expressed a view of the project to the city council that was less than a ringing endorsement.

Chancellor: UNCG doesn't see Newman Whitney site as 'viable'

The Greensboro Zoning Commission turned down a request by Ohio-based Edwards Communities to build a massive student apartment complex on the Newman Whitney Machine property on Spring Garden Street. It remains unclear whether the decision will be appealed to the city council.

If it is, this Dec. 23 letter from UNCG Chancellor Linda Brady to Mayor Bill Knight and members of the council will likely bear some impact on their decision:

We have had discussions with Edwards Communities for nearly three years regarding off-campus student housing alternatives. We recognize Edwards as a nationally-reputable student housing provider and have respect for Edwards’ professionalism and portfolio of work. However, UNCG does not currently consider the Newman Whitney site in College Hill as a viable component of the conceived new neighborhood of university-controlled housing [emphasis mine]. When the university’s Strategic Housing Plan was developed, Edwards was invited to consider partnering with UNCG to develop the ‘new neighborhood’ of university-controlled housing somewhere else near campus, rather than proceeding with their planned project to the east of Fulton and Spring Garden (Newman Whitney property). However, Edwards declined, presumably because Edwards had already expended pre-development costs in the Newman project.

Brady also said UNCG plans to expand its inventory of university-controlled student housing by 4,000 beds in the next decade "by building additional housing facilities on campus and by exploring the possibilities for the development of a new neighborhood of university-controlled student housing near campus."

Zoning commission turns down student apartments in College Hill

The Greensboro Zoning Commission turned down a rezoning request by a vote of 7-2 yesterday that would allow Ohio-based Edwards Communities to build a massive student apartment complex on the southern flank of the College Hill Historic District. Among the reasons cited for the decision was nearby UNCG's public silence on the project considering how much the university was cited by the proponents.

Steve Simonetti of the Edwards Companies told me he doesn't know if the decision will be appealed.

We'll have more detail in our print edition on Wednesday, layout and copy gods willing.