After rigorous debate, the Palo Alto City Council voted 7-2 on Tuesday to approve the construction of — and rezoning for — a new “gateway” building on the corner of Lytton Street and Alma Street.

The three-story, 50-foot-tall building would include office spaces, retail and a 70-foot-tall corner tower. These approved plans are a reduction of the initially planned five-story building, following months of debate between Palo Alto’s planning commission and Lytton Gateway LCC.

The negotiations also require the new building to make space for 14 affordable housing units.

While the council officially approved moving forward with the project’s construction, speakers at the council meeting raised issues surrounding a possible parking strain. Many argued that the building’s location would only contribute negatively to the existing traffic congestion problem due to a reduction of parking space.

In response to these claims, the council also approved Vice Mayor Greg Scharff’s proposal to allocate some of the funds behind the building’s affordable housing project to the issue of parking and traffic congestions. The $2 million in question would potentially go toward a parking garage for city use, but details are yet to be confirmed.

— Ileana Najarro