NORMAL -- A revised plan that would bring fewer student apartments to the University Cinemas site has been filed with the town.

The Normal Planning Commission will consider it during a public hearing at 5 p.m. Dec. 10.

The first plan by developers 1010 S. Main LLC brought strong neighbor opposition because of density and parking concerns at the site at 1010 S. Main St., just south of the Illinois State University campus.

That proposal called for a four-story, 350-bedroom student apartment complex to be marketed to ISU and Illinois Wesleyan University students. The new plan would bring six townhouse-style buildings with 220 bedrooms.

While the original plan required the site be rezoned from the current business zoning to high-density multiple family, the new version needs a medium-density multiple family zoning.

Commission members rejected the request for the high-density rezoning. Developers withdrew the proposal after the city council members said they wouldn't support the plan.

In the new proposal, each of the six buildings would be 2 1/2 stories tall. Three buildings would face Main Street and the other three would be on the east side of a rear, 166-space parking lot.

Residents would enter from Cullom Street and exit from Church Street, as in the original plan, but an existing alley on the east side of the property would not be changed, said town planner Mercy Davison. Originally, developers wanted to turn the alley into greenspace.

Neighbors objected to the alley plan and expressed concern about the high density, increased traffic, noise, parking and danger of the nearby railroad tracks during the August public hearing.

The new plan shows a fence between the apartment buildings and the railroad tracks on the north end of the property.

University Cinemas is the Twin Cities' oldest multi-screen theater. It was converted to a "dollar house" for second-run movies, historically the last stage in a theater's lifespan, in late May.