Artist renderings of the 4746-48 Spruce St. project.

Residents are invited to join the Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) this Wednesday (May 11) for a discussion on a 13-story apartment building planned for the 4700 block of Spruce St.

The meeting, organized by the GCCA Zoning and Development Committee, is an opportunity to provide feedback as part of the city’s Civic Design Review process, where developers take non-binding suggestions from community groups and residents about things like building materials, building height, parking and landscaping.

The current plan includes the following: a 13-story building (six stories on the east end) with commercial space on the first and second floors (proposed uses include restaurant and grocery store), 170 residential units, 28 vehicular parking spaces (accessed via Spruce Street), 76 bicycle parking spaces, and an off-street loading dock (accessed via 48th Street).

Spruce Street Development began buying the parcels several years ago and consolidated them for the project, which is zoned under CMX-3. The project is “by right,” meaning it complies with existing zoning regulations.

Businesses began closing along the strip on the south side of the 4700 block of Spruce – across the street from the Lea School – in January. Ezra’s Auto Repair at the corner of 48th and Spruce relocated to Baltimore Avenue and businesses in the low rise strip to the east began closing late last year.

The proposal includes a $1.8 million payment toward the Housing Trust Fund, which allows the developer to receive the mixed income housing bonus of more height and floor space without actually providing any low-income housing. The GCCA plans to ask the city to “ensure that these funds are used to maintain and/or create housing affordability in Garden Court and nearby neighborhoods,” according to a statement.

For more details about the project and how to join the meeting, which will be held via Zoom, starting at 8 p.m., visit this page on the GCCA website.