What’s next for Saugatuck?
The Planning & Zoning Commission held its first hearing yesterday on the new Spinnaker project. “06880” reporter John Palmer writes:
The Planning & Zoning Commission and members of the public got their first look last night at the latest development proposal for Saugatuck since the Hamlet was rendered dead.
Representatives for Norwalk-based Spinnaker presented a pre-application –a first look at the developer’s plans, and a chance for any last-minute concerns to be discussed before a formal application is submitted.
The Architectural Review Board discusses the pre-application at their meeting tonight (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall Room 201; click here for materials).
“We know this property has a long and at times, frustrating history for the neighborhood,” said Matthew Edvardsen, principal at Spinnaker, who added he lives in town with his wife.
“We want this to be a project the neighborhood enjoys and is genuinely happy to be a part of.”
One view of the proposed Spinnaker development. Riverside Avenue is on the left, Charles Street on the right.
Spinnaker, which has developed properties in Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Fairfield and New Haven, bought 606 Riverside Avenue for $12.795 million, and 96 Franklin Street for $3.25 million. The rectangle parcel is anchored by Minute Man Cleaners.
“This is not the Hamlet,” said Adam Blank, an attorney with Wofsey, Rosen, Kweskin & Kuriansky, acting as land use counsel for Spinnaker. “We can assure you the project will comply with all town engineering standards.”
He added that the developers have already met with the Fire department, businesses and other town officials, as well as the state Department of Transportation. Spinnaker has also created a project website.
Unlike Hamlet, which involved a complicated mix of several properties, Spinnaker’s proposal calls for 175 mixed units within 1 block of property. Eighteen — or about 10 percent — would be considered affordable, less than the 20% that town regulations require for similar developments.
Seelan Pather, managing principal for Beinfield Architecture, which will handle design for the proposed development, said the intent is to create a “New England Village” that provides a walkable environment.
A view looking at Railroad Place (left) and Riverside Avenue.
Rather than providing a development with many amenities, he said the idea is to create a “symbiotic relationship” with downtown Westport, which he said would be the draw for people to visit.
“We are familiar with Westport, and we are trying to achieve some of that wonderful Westport energy that exists,” he said. “We will pay attention to detail. Needless to say we’ve done this before, and we know how to get it right.”
The parcel to be developed would be bordered by Charles and Franklin Streets, Riverside Avenue and Railroad Place.
Designers plan to preserve the historical feel of Saugatuck by retaining buildings such as the post office to provide a hint of nostalgia.
Along Charles Street and Riverside Avenue, street level buildings would be limited to 4 stories to avoid an urban “canyon effect,” and would feature townhouse-like apartments with stoops, as well as street-level retail and entertainment space.
A 5-foot setback from 13-foot sidewalks would help shield sightlines of a larger, 6-story structure that would house 2 levels of above-grade parking, and 4 levels of apartments that would surround a common plaza area for residents.
“You’d have to be on I-95 to see most of what’s going on there,” Pather said of the higher building.
A key feature of the new development, which differs from Hamlet, is 283 parking spaces. Most are on 2 levels that would be located at grade or on the second level, with entrances that would be hidden within the façade of the street level façade.
By comparison, Hamlet proposed 2 underground parking garages that would feature “stackers” employed to accommodate more vehicles. It would have also eliminated most on-street parking.
Spinnaker’s street-level parking plan.
Spinnaker’s version will provide 49 off-street parking spaces plus 10 on-street spaces on Charles Street, in addition to the 283 contained garage spaces.
According to Marissa Tarrallo, a traffic expert with AKRF, studies were done at 11 intersections in the area from March through May, collecting 3 days of turning movement counts as well as 9-day traffic recorder counts.
The project as currently planned would generate 57 more weekday morning trips, 88 more in the afternoon, and 129 more on Saturdays.
She said that Spinnaker’s development will generate about 80% fewer vehicle trips than the Hamlet would have generated, and almost no traffic delays more than 10 seconds at all intersections with Saugatuck Avenue.
Planning commissioners largely viewed the proposal positively, but several expressed concerns that the developers provide only 10 percent of affordable housing, when town regulations require 20 percent.
“It would be very difficult to approve something that is substantially lower than what we require of other developers in town,” said Bre Injeski, adding that a text amendment would likely need to be approved to allow a change in regulations.
“That would be a sticking point for me. I like that you have sufficient parking and the traffic numbers are not going to make traffic significantly worse.”
The current site of the Spinnaker property. Riverside Avenue is at the bottom of the photo; Charles Street is on the right.
“This is a massive development in an area that is already congested,” noted Michael Calise. “We just don’t have the infrastructure.”
Chairman Paul Lebowitz said that he’d like to see more setbacks integrated into the streetscape, to allow for opportunities to enjoy the environment.
“When I go to Saugatuck it’s for the experience of the places there, like eating ice cream and sitting on a nice evening,” he said. “I’d like to see more of that integrated into the sidewalks.
“It’s night and day from what we were presented with previously. I will be drawn to the negative space that will make Charles Street look like something it hasn’t looked like in many years.”
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