Story by Eli Holm. Featured Photo by Eli Holm.
The St. Cloud City Planning Commission has backed a proposal to convert the St. Cloud State University Welcome Center to new housing units as part of the Cloud Apartments.
The Commission held their monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 8th, where they heard a request from Cloud Apartments LLC. to amend the current Welcome Center into residential space. Cloud Apartments made this proposal after St. Cloud State chose not to renew the lease to the property for the upcoming school year.
Cloud Apartments’ proposal included a comprehensive plan, that would turn the Welcome Center into 16 apartment units.
Cloud Apartments had two options when considering what to occupy the upcoming vacancy, either convert it to commercial or residential property. Community Development Director Matt Gleasman said the choice to turn the area into residential space could still bring the same commercial vitality to the area.
“[It] brings that storefront viability, not in a commercial sense, but certainly bringing more eyes to the street, and more activity to the street,” Gleasman said.
The meeting clarified that the current parking was acceptable, and would meet the demands of new apartments, as the original lease had considered the first floor a part of the occupancy count.
The meeting also promised two rounds of accessibility inspection if passed.
The Planning Commission approved the request, but their word is only a request. The proposal will be heard again at the first City Council meeting in May.
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