200+ unit condominium development in Kalamazoo requires rezoning

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Walden Woods condominiums could expand by 200 units in the Arcadia neighborhood.

In order to complete the project, the city of Kalamazoo will need to rezone 10.1-acres at 565 S. Drake to a residential, single-dwelling district. Thursday, the Planning Commission recommended the City Commission approve rezone the land, which will contain 40-60 owner-occupied units.

The wooded and undeveloped property was formerly part of a Drake's Pond Apartments project approved by the City Commission in 1987. A total of 497 units in 35 buildings was constructed on 36 acres of land, but the owners of the apartment complex sold the remaining property to American Village Development II, LLC.

American Village Development built the Walden Woods condominium project to the east of the property. An expansion of the condominiums requires the portion of land bought from Drake's Pond Apartments to be rezoned. 

In total, AVD plans to build 215-230 units.

Jack Gesmundo, an AVD representative, said overall the development would maintain 70 percent of the green space in the wooded area. He expects to break ground in the fall and begin building units in the spring.

According to city planning documents, the style and design of the duplexes would be similar to existing Walden Woods units. A final site plan would be submitted to the city for approval.

Gesmundo said Walden Woods is primarily marketed toward buyers looking to move up to a nicer home or make a luxury purchase. Units would cost between $200,000 and $400,000, he said.

None of the units would be available for rent.

The Arcadia Neighborhood Association was notified of the request and gave no objections, Gesmundo said. The site is surrounded by Drake's Pond apartments, Walden Woods condominiums, Linden Grove Middle School and vacant Kalamazoo Township land.

AVD has developed 1,500 home sites in Kalamazoo, generally building at a rate of 50-75 per year. When the first phase of Walden Woods began in 2012, it was the largest for-sale housing development in the City of Kalamazoo since the 1970s.