10-Story Apartment Complex Proposed In Edmond; Why 1 Resident Doesn't Want It

Developers are looking to build a 10-story apartment tower just east of downtown Edmond near Memorial Road and Interstate 35.

The project, spearheaded by Kalidy LLC, calls for 204 apartment units, a rooftop deck, a four-story parking garage, and 9,000 square feet of office or retail space. However, before construction can begin, the property would need to be rezoned.

Another fight for an Edmond Homeowner

For community advocate Paula Burkes, it’s a new battle.

“We shouldn’t have to fight the good fight over and over again,” Burkes said. “Our biggest asset in Edmond, most of us, are our homes and this shouldn't be forced down our throats.”

Burkes previously helped to lead a successful petition to stop a similar development along Memorial Road, near her home.

“We got thousands of signatures collected on a referendum and 70 percent of citizens saying we don't want this,” she said.

Now, two years later, she’s speaking out about this new proposed development.

“Here we are just a smidge south of there and here we go again,” Burkes said.

Developer's Plans

Kalidy LLC, the developer, wants to build a 10-story apartment tower containing:

1. 204 units with a rooftop deck
2. A 4-story parking garage 
3. outdoor amenity space
4. The project also calls for 9,000 square feet of office or retail space on the ground floor. 

The developer, through an attorney, said the project is needed in Edmond and will provide value for the community.

“I'm not saying apartments are bad, we've all lived in apartments,” Burkes said.

While the project would bring additional housing to Edmond, Burkes fears it also would lower the value of homes in the area, create traffic issues, and lead to larger class sizes within the Edmond school district.

“We shouldn’t have to fight so hard to say we don’t want a multiuse 10-story apartment tower around the corner from us,” she said.

However, for Burkes, it’s more than just about the future of her neighborhood, it’s deeply personal. She’s speaking out in honor of her mother, Caroline Burkes, a longtime educator, and civic advocate who is currently receiving hospice care.

“I just want to make an effort, especially in deference to my mother,” Burkes said. “She’d want this. This is for her; this is for her.”

What's Next

The proposed development will go before the Edmond Planning Commission during a meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday inside City Council Chambers, 20 S. Littler Avenue in Edmond. If the planning commission approves the rezoning, it would still need to go to city council for a vote.