"It was never really a very interesting house to start with," he told the planning commissioners.

In July, the planning commissioners voted 7 to 4 for the plan.

"This has the potential to be a very bloody battle," said one planning commissioner, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The streets are often strangled by traffic but there was no full-time planning commissioner for 10 years.

He also served as a Planning Commissioner from 1982-1986.

Denise Casalino, the city's planning commissioner, said the new district had already blossomed.

"This is a great project in the wrong location," said Robert Lopez, a planning commissioner, who voted against it.

Two Planning Commissioners voted against the plan at the commission's September 10, 2009, meeting.

She is an attorney and former Planning Commissioner.

"The planning commissioner caught it and stopped it."