Norman City Council approved an affordable housing project and zoning efforts for a new student housing complex where the OU Motel currently stands Tuesday evening.
The Verve will be placed on Classen Boulevard near the Jimmie Austin Golf Club. Current student housing complexes in the nearby area include The Flats, The Edge and The 2900.
This complex will be built where the OU Motel is currently located, which is commonly used as an affordable housing complex. Both the OU Motel and the former location of Hope Community Church will be demolished for the construction of The Verve.
According to Sean Rieger, the representative of the applicate Subtext Acquisitions LLC, the motel has already begun transitioning lease agreements to a weekly basis in preparation for the demolishing.
The building, on track to open in 2024, will include an estimated 650 beds and will stand five stories tall. Amenities consist of trails, a fitness center, hammocks, frisbee golf, a pool area and a food delivery space.
Rieger noted the need for increased housing as OU plans to transition into the Southeastern Conference.
“As OU grows, and obviously they’re about to grow by thousands of students we believe, we can find facilities to put these students in … or if we don’t, those students are going to rent into the neighborhoods,” Rieger said.
When The Verve was presented to the planning commission, no protests to the project were filed with the city. Council approved the complex unanimously.
Council also approved the $525,000 purchase of a 4.85-acre undeveloped property on the corner of Oakhurst Avenue and Imhoff Road. This approved the purchase of the land, with development to come later depending on tax credits, grants and other funding opportunities.
The purchase of this property will come from American Rescue Act Plan funds that were specifically allocated for affordable housing efforts, according to City Manager Darrell Pyle. He clarified at the meeting that this section of HOME-ARPA funds could not be spent on anything other than housing.
Assistant City Attorney Anthony Purinton said the city is unsure of the number of units the property would hold, though noted that a former structure had 75 assisted living units. Purinton noted that the city would attempt to gear toward one-bedroom units.
Purinton said the more units the city builds on this property, the more likely it is for tax credit applications to be approved.
Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler said the public would have more input on the city’s involvement and what the property will look like moving forward.
Purinton said this item would appear before council again prior to closing on the property to discuss development, contracts and zoning efforts.
Ward 5 Councilmember Rarchar Tortorello noted his support for the land purchase, adding he sees affordable housing like military base housing and considers it part of infrastructure.
“We can provide preference to the police, teachers and the city employees who work here and serve the city,” Tortorello said. “We’re not asking for a homeless shelter, we’re asking for affordable housing.”
Ward 3 Councilmember Kelly Lynn said he didn’t agree with voting on the agenda item at all without Ward 1 representation as the property is located in that ward, motioning to table the purchase until former Councilmember Brandi Studley’s seat could be filled.
Studley resigned her position and abandoned her reelection campaign on Jan. 13. Her seat will be filled through a selection committee of Ward 1 residents. Depending on the results of the Feb. 14 election, a special election could be held should Studley be re-elected.
The motion was not voted on after Ward 7 Stephen Holman said the previous three Ward 1 council members supported the pursuit of the property. The original purchase proposal passed in a vote of 5-2, with Lynn and Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila voting against it.
This story was edited by Alexia Aston, Karoline Leonard and Jazz Wolfe.
