First phase of Elmbrook housing project – 201 rental units – ready for move-in

Developer Joe Locricchio will seek approval from the East Bay Township Planning Commission on Tuesday to proceed with the first phase of housing construction on the Elmbrook Golf Course property near Hammond and Townline roads. Locricchio plans to build 201 market-rate rental apartments, with work on the first 100 possibly starting next year. The developer — whose zoning allows for up to 912 apartments on the 228-acre site — plans to keep the golf course open for the foreseeable future and will have to help finance a traffic light at Hammond/Townline while construction expands.

Locricchio received approval from East Bay Township in 2021 to rezone the golf course site from a low-density residential neighborhood to a mix of medium- and high-density residential development. The rezoning did not change the total number of units allowed, but allowed Locricchio to build a mix of residential units rather than just single-family homes. Phase one calls for 201 rental units on nearly 28 acres in a wooded area south of the Elmbrook Golf Course access road. Plans include 39 three-family homes and 164 four-family homes, according to a memo from Claire Karner, the township’s director of planning and zoning.

Locricchio tells The Ticker The rentals will consist of “two and three bedroom apartments, the vast majority of which will have two-car garages and some will have one-car garages. They will have two and a half bathrooms and will be a mix of ranch and two-story apartments.” He says the rentals will be a “similar product” to his neighboring Bayview TC condominium. According to Bayview TC’s website, rental rates at that development start at $1,749 a month for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment and range up to $2,400 for a similarly sized townhome.

Locricchio’s rezoning of Elmbrook – which took effect in November 2022 – expires next fall unless substantial construction of phase one is completed. As part of their review on Tuesday, planning commissioners will consider extending that deadline to November 2027. Phase one itself will be split into two parts, with Locricchio hoping to start construction on the first 100 units in 2025. “We don’t know for sure because there are a lot of challenges in the market right now … but we want to move forward, get our permits and be ready,” he says.

Locricchio must add more sewer infrastructure in the second part of the first phase to build out the remaining 101 rental units. Karner also recommends that planning commissioners add a condition that when Locricchio begins construction on those remaining units, a traffic signal will be installed at Hammond and Townline roads. Locricchio will be responsible for working with the Grand Traverse County Road Commission (GTCRC) “on a cost-sharing agreement and implementation of any necessary intersection improvements,” according to the recommended motion. The developer will also be responsible for covering 65 percent of the cost of future improvements on Townline Road south of Hammond Road as GTCRC repairs it (GTCRC is separately working on cost-sharing agreements with local governments to fund upcoming repairs on Townline north of Hammond to South Airport).

Because of the rezoning, Elmbrook Golf Course is now considered a nonconforming use of the property. Originally, that meant the golf course could continue to operate and remain open to the public on a temporary basis, but could not be expanded or significantly altered. It also meant that once residential construction began, the golf course would no longer be considered a permitted use and would have to be closed. However, East Bay Township is in the process of updating its zoning code, with the latest draft stating that golf courses are a permitted use in all residential areas, Karner says. Assuming that language remains in the final zoning code, Locricchio can keep Elmbrook Golf Course open.

The developer says he plans to do just that “for the foreseeable future.” It will likely take at least two to three years to complete the first residential phase, Locricchio says, and those first 201 units will not impact the golf course. The development team will then have to weigh the next steps for the next phases. It’s possible that parts of the golf course could eventually be converted to residential, but all options are still open, Locricchio says.

“We have owned and operated the golf course for three years now and have already made significant investments,” he says. “It is an institution in Traverse City and we have a lot of fun with it. Will the golf course remain 18 holes or will it be some kind of hybrid that is integrated into the residential area? We are looking at all options, but for now Elmbrook is Elmbrook.”

Other topics likely to come up Tuesday include tree removal and non-motorized connections. Karner points out that phase one calls for the removal of a “significant number of mature trees to achieve the desired density.” Although there are no specific standards for tree protection in East Bay Township’s zoning code — making it difficult to impose requirements on developers — she hopes Locricchio will work with the construction team to save as many mature trees as possible.

Locricchio says his team preserves trees when possible, but notes that “a lot of it depends on grading and infrastructure.” He points to his landscape plan — under which he will plant 209 new trees in phase one — and notes that Bayview TC has “exceeded” the community’s landscaping requirements. Locricchio is also open to discussions about non-motorized connections from the new neighborhood to surrounding sites and the larger corridor. Karner provided planning commissioners with a hand-drawn map showing where such connections could be made along Hammond, Townline, Edgecomb Road, Vienna Way, Cherry Ridge Drive and more streets, eventually providing access up to Three Mile Road.

“As we invest tremendous energy and financial resources into safe routes to school (around Three Mile/Hammond), we want to ensure that the new neighborhood has safe and accessible access to the trail system and schools,” Karner says.