After hours of public testimony, the St. Paul Planning Commission’s zoning committee this week unanimously recommended the approval of a 61-bed, five-level Merriam Park apartment building at Marshall Avenue and Moore Street.

On Thursday, committee members noted that nothing in the city’s zoning code could legally block it.

Committee members said the site plan, submitted by developer Jon Schwartzman, meets city zoning standards for the area, despite its stark contrast to the smaller single-family homes, church and apartment buildings around it.

The developer submitted his plans to replace a triplex and single-family home at 1973-1977 Marshall Ave. with a 16-unit apartment building hours before a temporary moratorium on new real estate development took effect.

“We hope that the developer will continue to look at this,” said zoning committee member Betsy Reveal. “I’m concerned that it is so quickly on the heels of a moratorium … but I don’t know that we have any basis to say that it is not allowable.”

The site plan review — typically a subdued gathering — drew dozens of college students in favor and Merriam Park homeowners opposed to the proposal, with the two sides citing skyrocketing rents in the tight housing market and neighborhood character, respectively.