Residence, Short-Term Rentals Planned for East Crossroads Building

By Kevin Collison

A three-story industrial building in the East Crossroads would be enlarged and converted to a private residence and three short-term rental units under a plan endorsed by the City Plan Commission Tuesday.

The owner, who was not identified at the Plan Commission hearing, intends to add a fourth floor to the vacant former Portage Rubber Co. building at 1513 Oak, according to the architect, Robert Dimond of the DA Group.

City records indicate the 1813 Oak property is owned by Musubi LLC. Its officers are Raymond and Ufiau Tuimauga, according to state records.

Dimond told the commissioners the owner plans to use the third and fourth floors of the project as a private residence. The second floor would be renovated as three, short-term rental suites each with two bedrooms and a kitchenette.

A preliminary rendering of the project filed with the City Planning Department shows the building with a fourth floor addition.

The ground level would be used for storage. When asked if the owner eventually plans to use that floor for commercial space, he replied “I don’t know what the future holds for that particular building and owner.”

Dimond could not be reached following the meeting for further comment.

The commercial building was built in 1920. It currently has no parking and no spaces are planned for the new project. Dimond said the residents and visitors would be expected to use street parking.

“I don’t think that’s going to be an issue,” he said.

The project is considered a hotel use, according to city zoning. The Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval for the plan.