Land panel OK's Salvation Army center

After agreeing to changes that allayed neighbors' concerns somewhat, the Salvation Army won preliminary approval Thursday for its proposed Kroc Center project in the Fairgrounds.

The Land Use Control Board approved without dissent a planned development permitting the 97,000-square-foot community center on the east side of East Parkway just south of Central. The project now goes before City Council.

The multipurpose center will include a chapel, gymnasium, fitness center, indoor-outdoor pool, medical clinic and pharmacy, a day-care facility, art gallery, music and dance academy, conference center and outdoor soccer fields.

The Salvation Army is paying the city $1.62 million for the 14.89-acre site.

Attorney Ronald Harkavy, representing the applicant, told the land-use board that the center will bring wide-ranging benefits to the community.

"This is one time I feel I'm representing apple pie, motherhood and the American flag," he said.

The project has undergone subtle changes to accommodate concerns voiced by neighbors in the Cooper-Young area to the west of the project. For instance, a curb cut will be moved to prevent left-hand turns into the center from East Parkway, and a berm and other landscaping will be included to obscure a parking lot in front of the facility.

However, Harkavy said developers couldn't incorporate some of the changes sought by neighbors, including putting some of the parking behind the center.

Susan L. Roakes, a board member of the Cooper-Young Development Corp., said neighbors support the center -- with conditions. She said the''ll monitor the construction to make sure the berm and other features to which developers agreed are completed.

By Tom Charlier
The Commercial Appeal
April 13, 2007