I agree that it is a solid project and that the neighborhood needs it.I'm just hearing the same thing from the complainers as in the 222 thread. Sure this building is simple; stone base, red brick, nothing crazy in height, and simple geometrics. I can't think of something better for something in a neighborhood like this. Plus plenty of retail to get the neighborhood jump started, hopefully enough to get projects like 7XX Central started, and the Superior Plating site. Central and Hen are both HUGE roads at this point, and if we can get enough people living and walking around over here then maybe something can be done to improve the hood and make it into a neighborhood. The use of balconies is a personal qualm with aesthetics, and yes they should have preserved the Totino's building, but this should be a well put together solid project in a neighborhood that needs it.
What is unfortunate is that in a city with so few old buildings, developers tend to want to knock them down.
Certainly it would disrupt the economics of the project to save the building. In the future, one would hope that in situations where pre-war buildings are threatened, the city could waive, for example, parking requirements. If this project didn't have two floors of underground parking, the developer probably could've incorporated the Totino's building into the design without compromising unit pricing.