SARANAP VILLAGE

2020–22 Completion Date Likely: Hall

JULY 10, 2016—Attendees at the July 7 Saranap Community Association annual meeting were in support of the proposed Saranap Village development on Boulevard Way by a margin of about two to one. If approved, though, the project probably wouldn’t be completed for another four to six years, due in part to an expected lawsuit, according to the developer.

Mark Hall, president and CEO of Hall Equities Group, the developer, gave an update on the project for the fifth year in a row. He showed renderings of the scaled-back project and outlined the most recent round of reductions in retail space and the number of rental units.

Hall said paperwork has been filed by a law firm that often represents unions that he expects will result in a lawsuit that would delay construction “for quite a bit of time.” Taking the likely litigation into account, he said the project probably wouldn’t be complete until 2020 or 2022. It would be built in phases, spread out over three to three-and-a-half years.

Turnout at the July 7 meeting was light, about 50 people. All who attended – SCA members and non-member guests – were given a form on which they could indicate their support for or opposition to the development and write comments. Twenty people said they support it and 11 said they oppose it. “A much-needed improvement to the neighborhood” was typical of comments of those who support the project. Most of those who oppose it gave its height or density as the reason.

In his presentation, Hall reiterated that his company won’t be making further changes to its plans for the project. He said he expects he expects it to go before the planning commission in mid September and the board of supervisors in November.

The annual meeting is when SCA members vote for members of the organization’s board of directors. All four incumbent board members on the ballot this year – David Dacus, Charles Huddleston, Stephanie Monson, and Chris Schroeder – were reelected. No one else was nominated.

The meeting took place at Grace Presbyterian Church on Tice Valley Boulevard.