Thomas MacMillan Photo
Holmes & Gross outside Tuesday night’s contentious zoning hearing.
After an outpouring of opposition from neighbors, the developer behind a planned 268-apartment project at the edge of East Rock’s Goatville section agreed to continue parleying — and promised it’s not too late to change the plans.
Ben Gross (at right in photo) made that commitment on Tuesday evening in the hallway outside the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), where he had just testified about his plans for the former Star Supply building.
The 29-year-old heads a team of developers who plan to convert the abandoned old industrial building into apartments and retail space.
To do so, they need special zoning permission from the city. The building, at the corner of Lawrence, Mechanic, and State streets, is in an industrial zone. Gross needs variances to permit residential uses there, as well as permission to have smaller side yards and fewer parking spaces than otherwise required. He and his lawyer and an architect made a case for those permissions on Tuesday night before the BZA.
The board didn’t vote on the matter. Following standard procedure, the matter was referred to the City Plan Commission, since the application involves parking. The commission will consider the application when it meets next week, make a recommendation, then send it back to the BZA for a final vote next month.
Dozens of neighbors turned out at Tuesday’s meeting to register their opposition to the proposal. They registered their concerns about parking, density, and the possibility that the new development might be only for well-off Yale students and faculty, thus changing the character of the neighborhood.
Neighbors asked the board to hold the public hearing open beyond the meeting, to allow the developers to address neighborhood concerns. The BZA declined to do so.
After an introduction by Gross (pictured), New York architect Randy Gerner, who has designed the proposal and is part of the development team, showed board members a slide presentation of the plans for the Star Supply building.
Click here to check out the plans.
Gerner said the project is designed to continue the well-defined “street wall” that exists farther south on State Street. The only vehicle entrance would be on State Street. A pedestrian “mews” is planned for Mechanic Street between four buildings with three or four apartments in each. Buildings on Mechanic Street would be limited to two stories. A building that reaches seven stories would extend back from State Street.
Parking on-site would be limited to 198 spaces. The complex would have a parking ramp not visible from the street, along with parking for more than 200 bikes, Gerner said. The development would include commercial space — retail and office — along with 12 live/work apartments. The project calls for 256 other apartments, all rentals, mostly single-bedroom. All apartments would be market-rate, not government-subsidized.
The development has to be that dense, with small side yards, in order to make it economically feasible, Gerner said. Environmental clean-up on the site will run into seven figures, said Anthony Avallone, the attorney for the applicants.
Avallone said the parking-spot-to-apartment ratio matches modern guidelines. He mentioned the 360 State tower, which he said has only 325 spaces for 500 apartments. Gerner said he recently helped build a 500-apartment building in Brooklyn with 250 parking spots, and only about 110 of them are being used.
Gross said the project would have a car-sharing program, possibly ZipCar.
When it came time to hear from the opposition, some 24 people took the mic to say their piece.
East Rock Alderwoman Jessica Holmes (pictured) was first to speak. She said that while neighbors are excited to see something finally happening at the blighted eyesore, concerns remain.
Near the top of the list: Parking. A woman who lives on Lawrence Street took issue with Avallone’s comparison to 360 State and Gerner’s to Brooklyn. That’s “a bit of fallacy,” she said. Parking is very congested already, said Matt Rogers, who lives on Mechanic Street. A man who lives on Orange Street said all 11 parking spots at his 10-apartment building are always filled. Andrew Rae said in his experience as a Mechanic Street landlord, tenants expect a one-to-one apartment to parking-spot ratio.
Neighbors also voiced concern about changes affecting the character of the neighborhood. Holmes said the area is the most diverse in East Rock. Bringing in 268 new tenants from one demographic — those who can afford the rents — would be “a game changer,” Holmes said. Cristina Cruz-Uribe, who lives on Bishop Street, said Goatville has the only reasonable rents in East Rock. Such a large development should have homes for families and condos for people who want to buy, she said. Several others expressed similar sentiments. Others said the design seems “closed in” or “isolated.”
Neighbors worried about the size of the new seven-story construction. One man said it would cast an 110-foot shadow in the winter. Avallone said the developers may build seven stories by right in an industrial zone.
Avallone said having a parking spot would not be an additional charge for tenants at the new development, so renters wouldn’t have an incentive to opt for free parking on the street. He said the development, despite its density, is one-third open space.
BZA chair Pat King closed the public hearing over the objections of neighbors. She said that the discussion can continue and any changes that come from it can be taken up with the City Plan Department.
The discussion continued immediately, informally. Neighbors gathered around Holmes and Gross in the hall outside the meeting room. Holmes proposed holding another meeting between neighbors and Gross.
Gross agreed. Neighbors wanted to know if he is willing to not just listen but change his plans.
“I can honestly say that input can still affect this project,” he said.
That’s not just “lip service,” he promised.
Gross said his concern is coming up with a plan that he can find backing for. “It’s about getting it built,” he said. Finding financing for the project will be a big challenge, he said. The development needs to have enough apartments to make money.
Cruz-Uribe pressed Gross on what specifically he might be willing to change about the plans.
“The density and the parking are things that could change,” he said. Gerner said the four buildings planned for Mechanic Street could be three stories instead of two, which might mean the seven-story building could come down to six. Gerner promised to give neighbors a “shadow study” showing just how much light the big buildings would block.
Holmes called that a good start and made plans for a Sunday meeting at the site.
Stefanie Lapetina, whose Mechanic Street backyard faces Star Supply, said she still isn’t satisfied. “It’s all talk right now.”
I don't understand the desire to limit construction because of concerns about demographic changes. Should we prevent fancy boutiques from opening because many of our neighbors cannot afford to be clientele?
It seems silly to avoid change simply because we fear gentrification. Markets and demographics change all the time. What is the alternative? To leave this abandoned, blighted building there indefinitely?
If someone wants to take the time and money to develop this land and add more living space to a desirable neighborhood, I really don't see the problem. Sometimes I get the sense that people resist change simply to be a contrarian.