A plan to fit a five-story structure on the grounds of a former church parking lot in Northampton has won several key approvals, following months of changes and input from the city and residents.
When a plan to build a narrow, yet tall, mixed-use structure by Elm, Main and State streets first emerged last year, public feedback seemed tepid and the city’s historical commission had concerns.
Window placement, how much it encroaches on the street and the fact that it doesn’t look much like the many, older brick buildings nearby were mentioned as developer Sunwood Builders of Amherst sought a certificate of appropriateness.
Following a series of changes and meetings, the certificate was granted last month and by the end of last week, the project had other approvals in tow. The Northampton Planning Board voted unanimously Thursday to approve the site plan and a special permit for the project at 3 Elm Street with conditions.
The proposal has come to incorporate multiple changes to meet board and commission requests, described at the meeting by project officials like Charles Roberts of Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers, who laid out some the additions made over the past 4-5 months.
Among them: more trees, a more “inviting environment” for passing pedestrians and more bricks.
“You can also pick up some of the … brick detailing we're doing here in the corner - a quoining of the brick where it comes out, projects out beyond the face brick” he said, speaking during a presentation that included before-and-after images of the designs. “It helps add a layer of detail and scale and richness to the brick of the building.”
Compared to the first renderings, the structure largely ditches the bits of metallic, gray-looking façade facing Main Street (though it remains elsewhere), opting instead for tan bricks not unlike the nearby D.A. Sullivan School Building or Academy of Music across the street.
They’re a bit different from the red bricks making up the nearby former St. Mary’s church and rectory – also owned by Sunwood and likely to be developed in the future. The developer previously indicated the rectory could eventually be a short-term hotel and the church - potentially some sort of community center, though those plans are still being decided.
Planning Board member Janna White noted those projects would not have any bearing on the current proposal, which includes 71 market-rate apartments, a parking garage and space for a restaurant and café.
“We received several questions about what's happening with the church, with the rectory - there is no requirement that there need to be plans for what is happening on the rest of this site in order to approve this part of the project,” White explained. “The applicant can, if they wish, give us a sense of what their plans are, but that will not influence our decision - there's no requirement for them to have that determined fully before we make our determination about this new building.”
Charles Roberts of Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers pointed out how compared to the proposal's first version, the latest includes street trees, vertical plants along the wall, and a reduction in size when it comes to the building's garage openings.
As for public comment, much had been said of the proposal leading up to the vote, but the last round consisted largely of residents asking for clarifications on the rectory and church’s future, concerns about bike infrastructure, and other matters.
Benjamin Spencer of Northampton stressed that while the 3 Elm Street project would bring major change to the block it would go in - as well as another potential development at Phillips Place and Hawley Street the planning board would hear about that night – the housing is needed.
“We need to make decisions now that look to the future of our city,” Spencer said. “We are in a housing crisis. The two projects before the planning board tonight will, combined, add 125 market-rate units to downtown Northampton’s rental market. These new buildings will be ADA compliant. There are a variety of apartment sizes to allow for more people to afford rent. The people who will be living here will be from all kinds of demographics.”
Meanwhile, resident Guido Mosca told the board he felt the project on Elm Street was in need of a peer review, given its scope and issues locals have raised about it. He also called on the public to consider taking part in an effort to appeal the historical commission’s approval decision from last March.
“… as far as the historic commission deciding to grant approval, I would like to notify the other people interested that we have until May 5 to file an appeal,” he said. “I believe that the decision is appealable, that's my opinion, and if there are other parties who are interested in pursuing an appeal, we have very limited time..”
In an email to WAMC, city Director of Planning & Sustainability Carolyn Misch said there is also a 20-day appeal period following Thursday’s planning board decision.
After that, the special permit granted by the board must be recorded at the registry of deeds and the applicant must revise plans and submit them before being able to pull a building permit.
While financing work for the project is ongoing, Sunwood Builders founder Shaul Perry tells WAMC early estimates are around $24 million.
