Plans for the Controversial Freeland District Development Are Back, Sort Of

Surge Homes

Remember those controversial plans to build a massive condominium complex in the Freeland Historic District in the Heights? Well, they appear to have been resurrected -- at least in part, anyway.

A bright red sign touting a "future development" from Surge Homes went up earlier this week along the south side of the Heights hike-and-bike trail, just south of the Freeland Historic District, according to Swamplot.

That just so happens to be right in the same spot where the other controversial multi-family housing project -- Emes Place or Viewpoint in the Heights, depending on the year -- was proposed.

Inner Loop Condos, a Canadian developer that seems pretty dead set on developing that plot of land, introduced plans to build a mid-rise condo development on the 1.4 acre wooded tract in 2004 and 2012, but gaining accessibility to the landlocked area proved to be an issue, and the project continually stalled.

And neighborhood concerns probably didn't help the project gain steam, either. Given the development's prime hike-and-bike locale, Heights residents were concerned about the project's potential impact on safety, traffic, flooding and green space.

But it wasn't all about the potential damage to the hike-and-bike trail. Residents cited the area's lack of curbs, gutters, drainage and sidewalks as issues, too.

Still, that new sign sure does make it look like the fight over Freeland Heights' prime plot of land may heat up again soon.

And while the new sign may make it look like Surge Homes, not Inner Loop Condos, is behind the new "future development," don't get your hopes up. The companies are basically one and the same, says Swamplot.

Surge Homes is simply a new brand created by the same developer.

Still, the plans for the development do seem to have changed. This time, Surge/Inner Loop is planning to build single-family homes, not multi-family, priced between $631,000 and $1,465,000.

Those houses still appear to be about three stories tall. So much for the view.