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Architect Thomas Arcari
The plan to renovate the Community House and include a Senior Center could be approved by the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission next week.
The commissioners seemed in favor of the project when they discussed it following a 90-minute public hearing last Thursday.
“I think the use is a great concept,” said Charles Andres, who chairs the commission.
“It seems like a very well-thought-out plan,” said commissioner Joe Vaiuso.
No vote was taken, but Town Planner Harry Smith said he will draft a resolution for a vote at the June 2 meeting.
The quest for a new senior center has been ongoing for many years, but no projects ever came to fruition. The Canoe Brook Senior Center on Cherry Hill Road does not meet ADA standards. It can only be accessed by steep steps or a dilapidated four-level ramp. In addition, the building is not large enough to accommodate the number of activities and exercise programs.
A report from a traffic engineer was presented which concludes that an increase in traffic will not adversely impact the area intersections.
The next phase for the development team will be estimating the cost of the project, and seeking funding from the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting. If approved, construction could begin in the fall and take about one year.
In other business last week, the P&Z unanimously approved a request from developer Alex Vigliotti for an apartment project that would include a few moderately affordable units. It also gave unanimous consent to a plan to convert an antique store on East Main Street into a laundromat.
Multi-Generational Center
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Site Drawing
Plans to renovate and expand the Community House to include a Senior Center have been ongoing for several months, but it was the first time the development team presented the proposal to the P&Z.
“We’re very excited about it,” said Thomas Arcari, of Quisenberry Arcari Architects LLC of Farmington. “It will be an asset to the community and it will create a great multi-generational place.”
The Quisenberry Arcari firm was chosen out of 14 companies that submitted proposals. The project is the first one that comes under the oversight of the town’s new Public Building Commission.
The Community House at 46 Church St. will become a multi-use facility with senior programs on the upper floor, and recreation programs remaining on the lower floor.
Arcari said there will be “complete redevelopment of the site,” with an addition on the Church Street level, plus a new access lane from Church Street, and a drop-off area along Church Street. The entire building including the gym will be renovated, and an elevator will be added. The senior citizens will have a dedicated fitness space, a multi-use room, an arts and crafts room, and a full-size commercial-grade kitchen.
Andres asked if the renovated building can be used for town meetings in the evening, instead of the Canoe Brook Senior Center.
“Absolutely,” Arcari said, explaining there will be ample opportunities for evening meetings. “It will be a resource not only for seniors and recreation, but for the community as a whole,” he said.
While most town meetings are held at the Fire Headquarters on Main Street, there are still several at the Canoe Brook building, including P&Z and the Inland Wetlands Commission.
Arcari said there will be several flood-proofing efforts for the Community House site, including placing the heating and cooling equipment on the roof, instead of the lower level. The adjacent Hammer Field frequently floods during storm events.
The town planner read through the staff report which made several recommendations. Arcari said they have read the staff report and will incorporate the suggestions into the plans. He said the project would take about one year, and the Parks and Recreation programs will need to be relocated during construction.
First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove, who attended the meeting, said the programs can be moved to the schools or other town assets. Foote Park facilities, now owned by the town, may be a destination place for some town recreation operations.
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Engineer Graham Curtis
Graham Curtis, of DTC engineering in Hamden, said there will be a new parking configuration, which will provide 102 spaces including five handicapped spaces. There are currently 87 spaces. Plans call for a two-way drive that will enter from Church Street and new sidewalks.
There will also be improvements to the landscaping and drainage.
Traffic Impact
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Traffic engineer Dave Sullivan
Traffic Engineer David Sullivan of Milone & MacBroom Inc. in Cheshire, gave the results of a traffic impact study commissioned by the town. Sullivan said he took “a comprehensive look at all the intersections” in regard to the Community House and the proposed Atlantic Wharf residential and retail complex on Meadow Street.
The Atlantic Wharf project was approved in January by the P&Z Commission, but a neighbor filed an appeal in New Haven Superior Court which is still pending.
Sullivan said the study concludes that the anticipated increase in traffic will not result in a decrease in the level of service at any of the intersections. Sullivan did make several recommendations for improving pedestrian crossings. He said the crosswalks could be upgraded to make them more “street friendly” by raising the crosswalk and adding painted markings.
“It will not only improve safety, it will have some traffic-calming effects,” he said.
Sullivan also looked at the parking situation at both the Community House and the Canoe Brook Senior Center, and said the proposed 102 spaces should be adequate. “We think parking is fine for day-to-day activities.”
Andres asked about parking for special events.
Sullivan said there are options, such as using other town parking lots when groups are taking a bus trip.
Commissioner John Lust asked about sidewalk improvements along Meadow Street.
The first selectman said that is a possibility that can be explored.
Four people spoke during the public comment period. George Dwyer, a frequent commentator on senior issues, said he wants two full-size pool tables in a separate room from the card players and ping-pong tables.
Anne Szeligowski, who owns properties at 28 and 26 Church Street was concerned that the renovations may cause more flooding on her properties, which are adjacent to the Community House. “I don’t want to be the dumping ground,” she said in regard to stormwater run-off.
Arcari said the project will not cause more flooding on her properties. “If anything, we will improve the conditions,” he said.
Matt Hally, complained that the building would be too large for the neighborhood. “You’re in a Victorian neighborhood. It’s too big,” he said. Hally also disputed the results of the traffic study. “You’re cramming more traffic into the center of town” he said.
Arcari said the Community House has been in the neighborhood for more than 50 years, and the addition will conform to the existing style of the building. “That architecture is part of the fabric of the neighborhood,” he said.
Rose Costanzo asked questions about the drop-off area and the new driveway. “It’s going to be a bottleneck,” she said.
Arcari said the traffic study indicates there will be no problems.
“Moderately” Affordable Apartments
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L-R: Chuck Andres, Chris Kelly, Harry Smith and Rich Stoecker
The commission unanimously approved a request by developer Alex Vigliotti to convert two empty office buildings at 14 and 22 Summit Place into apartments as part of the new Incentive Housing Overlay District IHOD program. Plans call for creating 35 apartments, seven of which would be designated for moderate-income. The public hearing which began earlier this month was concluded Thursday night. No members of the public spoke at either session.
The “moderately affordable” monthly rentals would be $862 for a studio apartment; $1,033 for a one-bedroom unit; and $1,260 for a two-bedroom unit. He did not disclose the rental prices of the other apartments.
The state created the IHOD program in 2007 as an incentive for towns to develop new affordable housing regulations. Branford’s IHOD regulations went into effect in 2011, stipulating that at least 20 percent of the units must be affordable for households earning 80 percent or less than the median income for Branford.
The Summit Place cul-de-sac is across from McDonald’s on Route 1 in the Branford Hills section of town. Properties in the vicinity include Branford Hall Career Institute, single-family residences, Thimble Island Apartments and Jefferson Woods condominiums.
The approval included eight conditions that the developer must meet.
Laundromat Makes It
A proposal to convert the Clocktower Antiques building at 824 Main St. into a laundromat was also unanimously approved after a discussion about sidewalks.
The project was proposed by Christopher Balestracci, who owns laundromats in East Haven and Hamden and has 25 years in the laundry business. The would be no exterior changes to the building. The business would include 45 washing machines and 45 dryers; plus nine commercial washers and six commercial dryers. The facility would be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. There would be no dry-cleaning service.
There would also be a pick-up and drop-off service that runs from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The owners of the adjacent Bill Miller’s Castle attended the public hearing earlier this month and expressed concerns about traffic, fumes from the roof-top vents, and the days and hours of operations.
Four conditions were put on the proposal, including the sidewalks. The commission has been requiring businesses along Route 1 that undergo major changes to install public sidewalks. There was considerable talk about whether it would be advantageous in this location, since the properties on either side don’t have sidewalks. The commissioners eventually agreed to require sidewalks within three years.
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Are you kidding me...Only FIVE HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES...........for seniors? Totally unacceptable. I hope there are elevators and also an escape plan for the second floor where in case of a fire elevators cannot be used. Boy is this administration a disaster.