161 West Street is currently an open space. But, it's on a well-traveled road in a popular portion of West Street near a hotel frequented by Naval Academy parents. Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley reportedly has no stake in the redevelopment plan for the space.  The city's planning commission hears the plans tonight. As the Capital Gazette reports, Jody Danek, the mayor’s business partner in several downtown Annapolis restaurants and other ventures, wants to build on the land surrounding the Lemongrass restaurant, now housed in a century-old building on West Street. The project would feature a 65-seat restaurant on the first floor and six apartments on the two floors above it. Currently, the land is used for outdoor dining at Mayor Buckley's Lemongrass Restaurant.  City spokeswoman Mitchelle Stephenson told a reporter that the Mayor has no financial ties to the redevelopment plans and that his business partner set up a separate limited liability company for the redevelopment project.

Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson reportedly sent a letter to city planners stating his concerns about adequate policing of the new residences.