Village of Sussex — Plans for the 89-unit Mammoth Springs South residential development on Deyer Drive off of Silver Spring Drive are advancing.The Sussex Plan Commission on Feb. 18 approved site and architectural plans for the project, which includes six separate buildings each with 10 to 19 units, as well as a pool and clubhouse overlooking the quarry. A public hearing will be scheduled next month.
Units will include a mix of two- and three-story rental townhouses and apartments, designed to have a “row house” appearance that also is both reminiscent of yet distinctly unique from the original Mammoth Springs residential development north of the quarry. The buildings will be constructed with about 40 percent masonry materials in a neutral color palate.
“We could easily continue to mimic what was done with the first project with Mammoth, but the desire was to actually introduce some different buildings in here for different market conditions, to basically have a different product to not compete with the stuff that’s to the north of the quarry,” said Steve Smith, president of Stephen Perry Smith Architects.
One key feature of the south development is the inclusion of walk-up units with separate entrances that create a feel that is more akin to home ownership, Steve Smith explained, with many of the units also including attached garages.
“There’s a real strong demand for this type of product,” Steve Smith said.
Along with approximately 750-square-foot, one-bedroom units and 1,100-square-foot, two-bedroom units, the development will include the first three-bedroom rental units in Sussex, Village Administrator Jeremy Smith said.
“It’s important for a community to have a diverse amount of products, and having some three-bedroom units is going to be good for the community,” Jeremy Smith said.
Village President Greg Goetz praised the aesthetics of the Mammoth Springs development while stressing the need for it to blend with the existing downtown area.
“We want to preserve some of what downtown is,” Goetz said. “The residents in this community are very cognizant of that.”
Another key concern expressed by Commissioner Roger Johnson was ensuring pedestrian access throughout and surrounding the development, due to the amount of likely foot traffic in the area.
“Pedestrian access was something we paid huge attention to, about how we get people where they need to go,” Jeremy Smith said, describing how the project fits in with other pedestrian improvements planned for the village. “I would say within five years, and probably more like three, you’ll be able to walk all the way from the southern end of the village into the downtown on a trail or path.”
In response to concerns from surrounding residents, Steve Smith noted that the units will not have basements, so it is unlikely that any blasting would be done during construction. However, he suggested it would be possible for developers to install a fence and landscaping to provide a screen during construction, as requested by neighboring property owners.
Architectural and site plans for the project will now be forwarded to the architectural review board, with a public hearing to be scheduled for next month. Construction on the south development, which will be valued at an estimated $11 million, is expected to take about 18 months.
Written by Julie Becker
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