Arthur and Anya Gordon, the founders and former owners of Irregardless Café, just moved one step closer to realizing their dream of creating an affordable housing development anchored by their community garden in southwest Raleigh.
On Tuesday morning, the Raleigh Planning Commission voted 5-3 in favor of the Gordons’ request to rezone their 2.6-acre Athens Drive property for mixed-use development.
The Gordons envision an apartment building that houses a mix of older residents, families, and solo tenants who share the responsibility of maintaining a garden on the property. The couple hopes to sell the property to a nonprofit developer who would build according to their specifications.
Arthur Gordon previously explained to INDY that for him and Anya, this project is “more than a rezoning.” It’s about creating community and celebrating nature—the same principles that led them to open Irregardless in 1975.
“The key piece for my wife and I is that the garden becomes the focus, so that people have something to do … that puts them in the shared space,” Arthur told the planning commission Tuesday.
The city council will hear the rezoning case next and make the final decision to approve or deny it. If the rezoning is approved, the Gordons (or a future owner) will be empowered to build a three-story development with up to 67 residential units and ground-floor retail space.
Arthur first petitioned the planning commission to grant this rezoning last month. The commissioners praised his creativity and the prospect of adding affordable, gentle density near Athens Drive Magnet High School. But they also expressed concern that a developer might stray from the Gordons’ original plan.
In response, the couple revised their proposal to prohibit certain types of development on the site, including a restaurant, outdoor sports facility, cemetery, or convenience store.
As evidenced by their split vote, the commissioners have lingering concerns about the Gordons’ request even after that modification. During their Tuesday meeting, they asked Arthur why there weren’t affordable housing conditions embedded in the request if that is his and Anya’s intent for the property.
Arthur responded that he doesn’t want to create too many limitations in case the plan for the property evolves.
The commissioners also questioned Arthur about setbacks between a future apartment complex and the surrounding single-family homes—a sticking point they encouraged him to revisit before the city council takes up the request.
Commissioner Tolulope Omokaiye, one of the no votes, told Arthur. “The vision is amazing, but once you sell the property, anything can happen.”
Despite that warning, optimism prevailed among the commissioners, if only by a slim majority. Commissioner Roberta Fox said the Gordons’ idea “has the potential to be a model” for Raleigh.
The couple will have another chance to modify their request, if they wish, before the city council votes on it in the coming weeks.
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Chloe Courtney Bohl is a corps member for Report for America. Reach her at chloe@indyweek.com. Comment on this story at backtalk@indyweek.com.