The Nickel Plate Flats Apartment Complex being built in downtown Frankfort has hit a bit of a snag on the outside of the building which is going to force the developer to ask for a variance on drainage.
“This seems to be a miscommunication between the property owner, developer and the engineer,” said Clinton County Surveyor Dan Sheets Monday morning following the Drainage Board meeting. “They’re going to go back, develop some plans, make a few changes and present that back to my office for review. After that, it will go to the Drainage Board to see if they want to grant the modifications to the plan.”
The drainage plan for the project was approved August 21, 2017.
Sheets said the developer will be asking for a variance to create a rain garden in the parking lot behind the building.
“Their goal is to reduce the storage volume in the rain garden and save a little money in the process,” said Sheets, noting this situation has nothing to do with the apartment complex itself. This is just for the parking lot.
Sheets added they plan to take care of the parking lot drainage and some of the alley drainage with the water from the downspouts coming off the building being directed toward the storm sewer.
“This should not cause a major problem,” said Sheets. “This will definitely be an improvement no matter what happens.”
The goal is to have the updated plans to the Drainage Board in time for their next meeting on Friday, May 4. In the meantime, Sheets said work will continue on the building.
“The contractor has agreed to proceed at his own risk,” said Sheets. “If the Drainage Board doesn’t grant his variance, he may have to take some things out.”
Joe Blake of Iron Men Properties said they plan to have people move into the apartment on June 1. However, he added they are “going to have to hustle on the outside” to make that time frame.
“We still plan to do what we had originally wanted to do,” said Blake. “None of this is ideal. We don’t want to have to rip it all out and start over.”
One interesting fact about this situation is that neither Ivy Tech nor CVS complied with the drainage ordinance. However, both projects found a way to come into compliance with the ordinance.