Hearing examiner Fred Kaufman at a hearing last week pushed back a week his ruling on a proposed downtown apartment and retail building.

Kaufman has two weeks to issue a ruling. Then the appeal period lasts for two weeks beyond Kaufman’s ruling.

The proposed six-story building is called 2nd and Main Apartments and would take up the five downtown lots anchored by Jet City Espresso, at the southwest corner of South Second Street and Main Avenue South.

Kaufman must approve the building’s site plan, a conditional use permit, a parking code modification and an environmental review.

The site plan approval is required because the complex has more than 100 residential units and is more than 60 feet tall. The conditional-use permit is required because the building’s density is greater than 100 units per acre. The parking code modification is required because the complex has 15 more parking stalls than the 110 allowed under downtown zoning.

Kaufman must approve the city’s ruling that the project would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. No environmental determination appeals were filed, and the filing window has closed.

Designed by TSA Architects, Second and Main Apartments is planned to stand 69 feet, with one level of underground parking, one story of retail space and five stories of apartments. The 101 apartments will occupy nearly 95,000 square feet, the retail a little over 9,000 square feet and the parking nearly 27,000 square feet. The building’s footprint would be just over 26,000 square feet.

Kaufman said he needed justification to approve the building’s density, which, at 148 1/2 units per acre, is 50 percent higher than the permitted Center Downtown zoning. All materials on the complex were due to Kaufman last week, but he asked for a week extension, meaning all materials plus information on the public art piece planned for that corner were due last night. City officials say the art piece, likely a sculpture, is a tradeoff for the complex’s increased density.

City officials say the U-shaped 2nd and Main Apartments will provide a gateway to a revitalized downtown.

Even Jet City Espresso owner Debbie Natelson said good things about the complex at last week’s hearing.

“I think it’s a very well-conceived project,” she said. “I know it’s our death knell, but well done.”

Jet City has leased the corner of Second and Main for 17 years. The future is uncertain for the abandoned gas station-turned coffee shop.

Emily Garland can be reached at emily.garland@reporternewspapers.com or (425) 255-3484, ext. 5052.