Parking for new multi-family rental construction has been handled in various ways, and last week a developer came up with a new one - sub-surface parking.
Crown Real Estate Holdings Inc. is seeking approvals for a complex at East Third and Richmond streets with 125 apartments, normally requiring 250 parking spaces, but with 164 proposed. Parking would be split between ground-level spaces and a sub-surface garage, with one space each for 1-bedroom units and 1.5 spaces allowed for 2-bedroom units.
Although the site is a bit farther than the transit-oriented development ideal of a quarter-mile from the main train station, planner David Zimmerman said residents could walk to the station. If the site had been within the zone, he said, the parking formula would have been only one space per 2-bedroom unit. He called the proposed parking space allotment more than adequate "considering the population the apartments will be marketed to," explained later as single persons or young married couples with no children.
The below-ground parking would be secured with a gate opening onto East Third Street and pedestrians would be warned of the exiting vehicles by strobe lights. The developer decided against audible alarms, as they might annoy residents.
Because sub-surface parking is not listed as a permitted use, there is no provision to allow it, Planning Director Bill Nierstedt said at Thursday's Planning Board meeting. Councilman Cory Storch, the governing body's liaison to the board, asked whether allowing it now would obligate the board to grant permission to others in the future, and Nierstedt said it would not
Board attorney Michele Donato said while it might be found to be appropriate for the site under consideration, it would not give "carte blanche" to future applicants.
Board members questioned whether flooding could happen, but the applicant's engineer, Donald Guariello, said the property was not in a flood zone. Other questions had to do with residents' safety inside the garage.
The outcome of the proposal may not be known for a while, as a last-minute issue arose Thursday regarding a redevelopment plan from 2006 that still governs the site. But with parking an issue all over the city, it's likely that other developers will be watching to see what becomes of the sub-surface option.
--Bernice
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This application was approved with sub-surface parking. As with many application certain conditions were imposed. The applicant agreed to all the conditions.
ReplyDeleteRon Scott Bey
Repeat after me .... "Flood Zone"
ReplyDeleteThis is not a flood zone. We can only go by the official flood maps. Until they are changed it is not a "Flood Zone".
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