(Greensburg, IN) — The Greensburg Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously approved four zoning variances Tuesday night that will allow a new 88-unit apartment complex to move forward on the former Decatur County Jail site on Railroad Street just south of the square.
Alex Blake of Lafayette-based Iron Men Properties secured approval for parking and landscaping modifications that will enable the four-story development at 119 E. Railroad St. to maximize both green space and available parking on the dense urban site.
The approved variances include reducing required parking spaces from 141 to 113, narrowing the parking lot perimeter from 10 feet to 8 feet 5 inches, reducing interior island area from 7% to 3.9%, and decreasing the buffer yard requirement from 10 feet to 8 feet 5 inches.
Blake explained the variances balance practical needs with aesthetic goals for the urban infill project.
“When you do urban infill developments, you’re trying to get every inch of the space to work for you,” Blake said after the meeting. “We were asking for minor or moderate reductions … but still keeping the amount of land maximizing the amount of landscaping that we can around the building. So it’s beautiful.”
According to the builder, the development will feature modern amenities while incorporating classic architectural elements that complement Greensburg’s historic downtown character.
Despite the 28-space reduction in parking, Blake said the 113 spaces should prove sufficient for the building’s approximately 115 beds across studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. The company will also construct an ancillary parking lot northwest of the development, behind Martin Overhead Door.
“What we’ve found is in urban sites with shift work and different work schedules, the parking lot is almost never full,” Blake said. “… We can share the same parking lot in space without overloading the streets in the community.”
If all goes according to plan, the developer expects to begin construction this spring with completion targeted for summer 2027.
The Board of Zoning Appeals met at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at Greensburg City Hall. No public comments were made during the public hearing portion of the meeting.
