Spot Re-zoning for Atlantic Healthcare Remarkably Now Needs Parking Variance
Re-read this thread from the first page. The long sordid history of this property and the issue has been covered quite well.
Speaking of wasted space, when are we going to take a wrecking ball to the mini-slum at the corner of SO Ave. and Church Street?
I think he's playing a game.
How many busted sewer pipes am I allowed to store in my yard before I'm ticketed?
How many busted sewer pipes am I allowed to store in my yard before I'm ticketed?
go_south_orange said:
Rob_Sandow said:
Michael, there is a big difference between the Blockbuster space, which fronts on SOA, and a space on Vose which has no retail on either side of it. As precedent, I am thinking specifically of South Orange Chiropractic as an example. It's on 1st just east of Valley. The two spaces are about the same in terms of proximity to SOA within the CBD. The chiropractic office draws a lot of people into the downtown, who may also patronize other downtown businesses while they are there. @go south orange is correct that this particular property should never have been designated as ground floor retail in the first place. There are other issues with the Blockbuster space that we are both well aware of. I hear there has been some movement on that front though. I'm just suggesting that maybe the originally zoned use was not the right plan and it should be revisited, considering that all ground floor retail spaces in The Avenue have never been occupied and are now vacant for 3+ years since The Avenue officially opened. Just being pragmatic.
Agreed. Michael's calling this spot zoning is obnoxious. It is an overdue correction of improper zoning by a prior generation of town leaders who were too focused on new ground floor retail use. This part of Vose and South Orange Ave are apples and oranges.
Maybe we should give Atlantic Health a PILOT too
Nagim sold the Church Street/South Orange corner property to a developer who has already built on Church Street. No plans have been submitted yet from the new owner.
Saiyd sold the property? Who knew? That can only be a positive development.
As for the spot zoning vis-a-vis The Avenue, the downtown plan was put together by a firm versed in planning for successful downtowns. But I guess our trustees have far more education and knowledge when it comes to urban planning.
As for the spot zoning vis-a-vis The Avenue, the downtown plan was put together by a firm versed in planning for successful downtowns. But I guess our trustees have far more education and knowledge when it comes to urban planning.
Just noticed the following on the Planning Board Agenda. I guess Atlantic Health is coming back for a parking variance for Vose Ave.
http://southorange.no-ip.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=134887&dbid=0
http://southorange.no-ip.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=134887&dbid=0
January 2014
So, while Torpey and the trustees tailored this spot re-zoning to Atlantic Healthcare's highly specific needs, they apparently didn't realize (or never asked) that even with a dramatically reduced parking requirement, there's still insufficient on-site parking for doctors' offices in a retail zone.
The Village, Sterling, and it's successor now remarkably have spent more years trying accommodate Atlantic Healthcare as a tenant than Sterling spent building this project. That's quite an accomplishment that certainly could lead reasonable residents to wonder about the "economics" of this deal.
Trans_Parent said:
Didn't the board already fix the parking for Atlantic Healthcare with its recent spot re-zoning:
Trans_Parent said:
Wellness Center Standards
• It shall be a hospital sponsored "center"
• It shall not include surgery centers or labs
• It shall have a parking standard of 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
• Wellness Center-A hospital sponsored establishment that provides services, facilities and education...
Maybe someone sensible realized Sterling received such a large parking variance for The Avenue, before Above ever was approved, and then Above was approved with no additional parking, that filling retail storefronts with doctors' offices simply was unsupportable without harming nearby businesses.
Someone should write this up as a Planning 101 case study for future generations to study.
So, while Torpey and the trustees tailored this spot re-zoning to Atlantic Healthcare's highly specific needs, they apparently didn't realize (or never asked) that even with a dramatically reduced parking requirement, there's still insufficient on-site parking for doctors' offices in a retail zone.
The Village, Sterling, and it's successor now remarkably have spent more years trying accommodate Atlantic Healthcare as a tenant than Sterling spent building this project. That's quite an accomplishment that certainly could lead reasonable residents to wonder about the "economics" of this deal.
Whoever owns the building on Church and SO Ave sure is letting it become, not only an eyesore, but nigh on dangerous. It does seem to be getting worse. Can the town make any demands on property that is falling apart?
michaelgoldberg said:
Just noticed the following on the Planning Board Agenda. I guess Atlantic Health is coming back for a parking variance for Vose Ave.
http://southorange.no-ip.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=134887&dbid=0
Why would the Village cryptically describe Atlantic Healthcare as AHS? It's not like it costs money to spell-out an applicant's full legal name, as evidenced by the other two cases heard on April 6th.
Does anyone know whether "AHS" got a free pass last night from Torpey's planning board?
gerryl said:
Whoever owns the building on Church and SO Ave sure is letting it become, not only an eyesore, but nigh on dangerous. It does seem to be getting worse. Can the town make any demands on property that is falling apart?
It would be useful if the FD was allowed to light it up and train on fighting the fire. Perhaps snuff it and relight it a few times to get more practice in. Perhaps we could even invite local towns to the event as well. The end result a full burn down and ashes. No building to fall and hurt someone.
TerrapinStation said:
I'm confused and I read the whole thread. What exactly is scheduled to open now in the new SOA building next to the train tracks?
Before the last three posts, including yours, this entire thread has been about the semi-new development The Avenue on Vose Avenue, immediately north of South Orange Ave.
Trans_Parent said:
michaelgoldberg said:
Just noticed the following on the Planning Board Agenda. I guess Atlantic Health is coming back for a parking variance for Vose Ave.
http://southorange.no-ip.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=134887&dbid=0
Why would the Village cryptically describe Atlantic Healthcare as AHS? It's not like it costs money to spell-out an applicant's full legal name, as evidenced by the other two cases heard on April 6th.
Does anyone know whether "AHS" got a free pass last night from Torpey's planning board?
@TransParent - Based on the agenda, I assume it was just being heard for completeness, but a week after the meeting, no video of the meeting has been posted to confirm.
The video is finally posted and, as expected, the application was simply heard for "Completeness" and the Variance for parking will actually be heard at the May 4 Planning Board meeting.
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Agreed. Michael's calling this spot zoning is obnoxious. It is an overdue correction of improper zoning by a prior generation of town leaders who were too focused on new ground floor retail use. This part of Vose and South Orange Ave are apples and oranges.