Real Estate

Precinct 14 Town Meeting Members Concerned About Apartment Project Downtown

A developer wants to renovate the second and third floor of the Amsden Building downtown into 24 apartment units but wants a special permit from the Planning Board to reduce the required parking spaces from 101 to 36.

A developer wants to renovate the second and third floor of the Amsden Building in downtown Framingham into 24 apartment units but the developer seeks a special permit from the Planning Board to reduce the required parking spaces from 101 to 36 for the project.

VTT Framingham Renaissance LLC is requesting a special permit from the Framingham Planning Board to reduce the minimum number of parking spaces for the downtown project. The Framingham Planning Board will continue discussion of this project at its meeting tonight, July 11.

The developer wants to build 24 apartment units on the second and third floor of the building above Limey's Pub in downtown Framingham at 101 Concord St.

The $2.5 million project should require 101 parking spaces, but the developer is requesting a special permit for just 36 spaces.

Town Meeting members from Precinct 14, which borders downtown, met and took a vote on the project's request for a special permit and was unanimously against it, said Precinct 14 Chair Renee Faubert.

"We have concerns that spillover parking problems from the project will impact our neighborhoods," said Faubert.

VTT Framingham Renaissance said in its permit fillings parking will not be an issue once the apartments are filled as "parking spaces on the lot will not be used by the apartment tenants during the day on weekdays and Saturdays when the retail stores within the building are open. ... It is anticipated that there will be spaces available within the parking lot during these times for both employees and customers of the businesses on the first floor of the Amsden Building," which includes a restaurant, offices and a hair salon.

"During evening hours when the restaurant is open there are generally sufficient on-street parking spaces available for restaurant patrons," wrote the developer in its application.

There are currently 20 parking spaces, and according to application filed by the developer's attorney Paul Galvani, the developer would add 16 more spaces, of which two would be designated for handicapped. Zoning laws require 101 spaces minimum.

The developer wants to renovate and rescue the second and third floor of 101 Concord St to create 24 apartments - 21 one-bedroom and three 2-bedroom apartments. The developer would also construct an additional access to the building in the back of the building and reconstruct the existing parking lot.

MetroWest Engineering in Framingham did an impact study on the proposed renovations to the Amsden Building for VTT Framingham Renaissance in April 2013.

"The addition of apartments to this building is not expected to have any adverse impacts on the surrounding area, and to the contrary, is expected to have a very positive impact," wrote MetroWest Engineering in its report. "The successful completion and rental of the proposed project will then facilitate and establish a market for renovation and expansion of the adjacent buildings, thereby creating a more vibrant urban environment consistent with the Town's planning objectives for the downtown."

VTT Framingham Renaissance filed its application for a special permit and complete plans in May. The Planning Board first heard the project last month.

The Framingham Planning Board has the project on its agenda for tonight's meeting in the Memorial Building at 7. This project is on the agenda for 7:35 p.m.


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