St. Augustine commissioners had many questions about how a development and public-private partnership at a key intersection in the city might work, but they supported studying the issue further.

Commissioners voted 5-0 Monday night to allow the city to dig deeper, with a consultant’s help, into a proposal developed by Barry Broudy and city officials.

The concept is to bring workforce housing, a parking garage, a new police station, a grocery store and other features to more than five acres at the northwest corner of U.S. 1 and King Street around Broudy's Liquors. The city could lease spaces in the garage and could lease or own the police station, City Manager John Regan said previously.

Barry Broudy and Regan have been developing the concept for about a year, and officials formally pitched the idea to the Commission at Monday’s regular meeting.

Commissioners were generally supportive of the idea, but some also had questions and concerns.

Commissioner Roxanne Horvath said she applauded the concept.

"I think it’s a really win-win on a lot of levels. ... but the density of this, the height of this, the height of this in relationship to West Augustine is way too dense in my opinion," Horvath said.

One residential tower would be 60 to 65 feet high, and the mixed use building with residential and commercial would be 50 to 55 feet high. The city would need to create a new land use for the height and the density, which would exceed the maximum 16 units per acre. 

Vice Mayor Leanna Freeman also said the height of the proposal is an issue.

“I’m excited about this project, and I’m thankful for the Broudy family … I do also have a few concerns," she said.

Commissioner John Valdes supported the idea, saying it would provide things the city needs such as workforce housing, a new parking garage on the west side of town and a grocery store for West Augustine.

“This hits all the buttons for me,” Valdes said.

Concept designer Jeremy Marquis said the workforce housing the team is looking at would be geared toward couples who make a combined annual income of $70,000 to $80,000.

Mayor Tracy Upchurch asked how the project would ensure that the housing would stay priced for that range. Marquis said that still needs to be worked out.

Broudy said he believes the plans would decrease congestion.

"I really hope that the members of the Commission see this vision that I have and can embrace it," Broudy said. "I would love to work with you and the city."

The concept calls for a parking garage with 1,100 spaces, which is about the size of the city’s garage downtown. Some spaces would be reserved for the development but other spaces could be public use. The city's idea is to provide a transit system, such as a shuttle, to connect the garage to other areas.

As for the police station, Regan had said he would support selling the current police station site after moving the department to the West King Street development. Freeman said Monday she does not support selling the land.

Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline said she supports adding workforce housing. But she said details need to be fleshed out such as what the city would be responsible for as part of the project.

“There’s just a lot of big questions for me,” Sikes-Kline said.

Regan said the city would be responsible for filling the public parking spaces that it leases, and the city would also be responsible for the pedestrian walkover.

Upchurch called the concept exciting and complimented officials for thinking creatively about traffic improvements.

"We have to think progressively," he said. "We have to think outside of the box."