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The souring economy hit Frederick's construction industry again this week, as the developer of a proposed six-story downtown office building suggested scaling back the project.

David Severn, an attorney for the developer, MacRo, appeared before the Frederick Board of Aldermen Wednesday and said the changes would allow the project to generate tax revenue and parking fees "sooner rather than later."

The building is slated for a vacant lot on East Street between Commerce and East All Saints streets.

The project began as a six-story building with 115,000 square feet of retail and office space.

MacRo proposed Wednesday changing that to a four-story building with 80,000 square feet of condominiums, retail and office space.

The current plan, according to MacRo, is not viable in today's economic climate — particularly 75 underground parking spaces. By reducing the size of the project, MacRo eliminates the need to build those spaces, Severn said.

The changes would allow MacRo to begin construction within two years of the city completing a nearby parking deck, as opposed to waiting "at least 10 years … as developer waits for market conditions to create a circumstance where the projected revenue will exceed costs," according to the proposal.

MacRo would lease 43 percent of the 650 spaces in the parking deck, as opposed to 50 percent under the original plan.

And once the building is complete, MacRo would lease those parking spaces even if the building was not fully occupied, Severn said.

The city has yet to vote on the proposal, but Alderman Donna Kuzemchak (D) said the developer addressed all of her questions and concerns about changing the project.

Mayor W. Jeff Holtzinger (R) suggested that MacRo contribute money to build the parking deck if the developer does not build the underground spaces, but Kuzemchak and Alderman C. Paul Smith (R) said that should not be a requirement because the building would need fewer spaces.