The City acquired Fire Station #7 site, located at 2711 East University Avenue, in 2018. As part of the acquisition, the City acquired the home to its west, and the site plan for the entire development placed the “primary” drive in front of the home due to TxDOT spacing requirements.
2701 Gtown LLC is planning to construct a mixed-use project on the site immediately to the west of the Fire Station #7 site, including retail along University Avenue and storage in the rear. Council approved a special use permit for the project in July 2022.
2701 Gtown LLC approached the City about acquiring an access easement across the FS #7 lot, in order to use the “primary” drive as a secondary point of ingress/egress to the development. Exiting the development through the Fire Station lot would allow customers to turn left (east) onto University. Utilizing the Fire Station lot would also allow eastbound customers to turn left into the development, as TxDOT would not permit a left turn directly in front of the development.
As consideration for the revocable access easement, 2701 Gtown LLC is offering to construct a westbound deceleration lane into the “primary” drive for the Fire Station site, as well as a protect left into the Fire Station driveway, at an estimated cost of $150,000. These improvements will benefit the users of the primary drive, including the Fire Department, and allow traffic to flow unimpeded along University Blvd.
Staff recommends approval of the sale of this Access Easement on the terms set forth herein.