Preliminary site plans for the renovation of Palladium 12 in downtown Birmingham — calling for new stores, office space, residential units, and underground parking — have been unanimously approved by the Birmingham Planning Board.
The planning process is now in the hands of Bloomfield Hills-based A.F. Jonna Development Co., which acquired the 51,700-square-foot movie and commercial complex space at North Old Woodward and Hamilton last month, said Jana Ecker, the city’s planning director, in an email.
“They have six months from (preliminary site plan) approval to apply for (final site plan) approval,” Ecker said.
The building featured retail space on its lower and first floors, with movie theaters on the second and third floors. The preliminary plan includes converting the basement retail space into underground parking, which will be accessed by a new ramp that will enter off of Ferndale Street. The plans presented to the planning committee during the May 28 meeting outlined 41 parking spaces. The first floor will remain retail.
Also proposed is the conversion of the second floor of the existing movie theater into office space, as well as the construction of three new residential units on the southeast corner of the building’s roof. One theater level will remain. Changes to the exterior walls call for replacing a series of recessed panels with windows to allow light into the new office space.
The project, which at one time was fully occupied and now offers movies only, is expected to be completed over the next two years.
