|
|
|
A cluster of new homes off of West Commerce Street and the restoration the former Sun-Times building are the central elements of a redevelopment plan that’s currently moving through the approval process in Smyrna.
Innovative Realty Investment Services (IRIS), formerly known as the Putnam Group, is the driving force behind this plan, which would reshape a section the downtown area along West Commerce Street.
If approved, the “Sun-Times Square” project would represent a combination of preserving the old and building new.
For the old, one component of the project is restoring the historic Sun-Times building at 25 W. Commerce St., which was damaged in a fire in October of 2008. A small expansion would be added to the back of the building.
According to Footprints of the Past, by local historian George L. Caley, the building at 25 W. Commerce St. was built around 1825, and was purchased by the Smyrna Times in 1896. The Smyrna Times, which later merged with the Smyrna/Clayton Sun and became the Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times, occupied this building for over a century.
As for the new construction, the plans include nine new homes: four detached single-family homes, one duplex and one triplex. These homes would be located behind the Sun-Times building and other business fronts on West Commerce. As it stands, the homeowners would own just the houses, while the land would be owned by a maintenance corporation.
A new 18-space parking lot accessible via Market Street Plaza would be built behind the residences.
Also included in the plans is a 1,300 square foot building with commercial/retail on the first floor, and possibly an apartment above.
The developer would also build an approximately 550 square foot “pocket park” on West Commerce that would be dedicated to the town.
Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustments consider project
The proposed West Commerce Street project was the main topic of discussion at the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustments meetings on June 17.
Planning and Zoning considered the site plan for “Sun-Times Square,” and later in the evening, the Board of Adjustments considered a special exception to allow residential land use at the site.
Thomas Payne, representing Sun-Times Square LLC, presented the site plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and also answered questions from the Board of Adjustments.
After discussing the proposal and hearing comments from town residents, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 2-1 to table the site plan until the next meeting.
A cluster of new homes off of West Commerce Street and the restoration the former Sun-Times building are the central elements of a redevelopment plan that’s currently moving through the approval process in Smyrna.
Innovative Realty Investment Services (IRIS), formerly known as the Putnam Group, is the driving force behind this plan, which would reshape a section the downtown area along West Commerce Street.
If approved, the “Sun-Times Square” project would represent a combination of preserving the old and building new.
For the old, one component of the project is restoring the historic Sun-Times building at 25 W. Commerce St., which was damaged in a fire in October of 2008. A small expansion would be added to the back of the building.
According to Footprints of the Past, by local historian George L. Caley, the building at 25 W. Commerce St. was built around 1825, and was purchased by the Smyrna Times in 1896. The Smyrna Times, which later merged with the Smyrna/Clayton Sun and became the Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times, occupied this building for over a century.
As for the new construction, the plans include nine new homes: four detached single-family homes, one duplex and one triplex. These homes would be located behind the Sun-Times building and other business fronts on West Commerce. As it stands, the homeowners would own just the houses, while the land would be owned by a maintenance corporation.
A new 18-space parking lot accessible via Market Street Plaza would be built behind the residences.
Also included in the plans is a 1,300 square foot building with commercial/retail on the first floor, and possibly an apartment above.
The developer would also build an approximately 550 square foot “pocket park” on West Commerce that would be dedicated to the town.
Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustments consider project
The proposed West Commerce Street project was the main topic of discussion at the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustments meetings on June 17.
Planning and Zoning considered the site plan for “Sun-Times Square,” and later in the evening, the Board of Adjustments considered a special exception to allow residential land use at the site.
Thomas Payne, representing Sun-Times Square LLC, presented the site plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and also answered questions from the Board of Adjustments.
After discussing the proposal and hearing comments from town residents, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 2-1 to table the site plan until the next meeting.
Earlier in the meeting, Planning and Zoning Commissioner Keith Faulkner pointed out that the site plan before the commission required a special exception that was not in place yet, and asked that it go to the Board of Adjustments first.
After Planning and Zoning adjourned, the Board of Adjustments voted 3-1 to approve the special exception to allow R3 high-density residential land use in the central commercial district for the 13 W. Commerce St. portion of the project.
The “Sun-Times Square” project encompasses two separate properties at 13 and 25 W. Commerce Street. The board already approved the special exception for the 25 W. Commerce St. portion of the project last year.
Questions were raised at both meetings about the required number of parking spaces for the project.
Janet Vinc, Smyrna’s manager of planning and zoning, explained that at the time the 25 W. Commerce St. portion of the project was approved for special exception, town ordinance required 1.5 parking spaces per unit.
The town ordinance was later changed to require two parking spaces per unit, and the property at 13 W. Commerce must meet this new standard.
Therefore, the project, in its entirety, falls under a combination of the old and new parking requirements.
Vinc said the 18 parking spaces provided under the current site plan meets the town’s requirement.
Residents voice concerns during public meetings
A handful of downtown residents and business owners attended the meetings and expressed concerns about the project.
Although the plans meet the town’s requirement for parking spaces, some visitors argued that the proposed development would worsen the parking situation in the downtown area.
“We’ve made a couple mistakes when we put up condos and not enough parking,” said Leticia Pickett of North Main Street. “We don’t need more problems in this town.”
John Neri, owner of City Tap Pizza Pub and Grille, also voiced concerns about parking. The proposed development would be located both behind and adjacent to his business.
“There’s already not enough spaces for my customers,” Neri said. “There’s going to be nowhere for anyone to park. There already isn’t.”
He also said it seems like downtown Smyrna is at a crossroads.
“Are we commercial or residential?” he asked.
“I think it really should go back to the drawing board as far as parking,” Neri later added. “Parking is a big problem for this downtown.”
David Finocchiaro, whose law office is located on Smyrna-Clayton Boulevard, said he moved away from downtown due to parking reasons.
He also owns a rental property next to the project, he said.
“I have no objection to a blend of commercial and residential,” Finocchiaro said. “It’s just that I, too, am concerned that it’s going to intensify the parking situation down there.”
Quentin Schlieder of South Main Street, on the other hand, said he was concerned about the preoccupation with parking.
He said the downtown needs parking, but said he’s also concerned about us “reducing this historic district to a big parking lot.”
Schlieder urged the Planning and Zoning Commission to try to balance those two issues.
Another source of concern from residents was the current state of the former Sun-Times building.
Melaine Minear of South Main Street described the building as a significant architectural feature of downtown Smyrna.
“We are deeply concerned, and there are more than came here tonight, about how this building has been treated after the fire,” she said. “We continue to see this building we deeply cherish sitting in a dangerous position.”
Schlieder shared this concern. He said the fate of the former Sun-Times building has been discussed by the Downtown Smyrna Renaissance Association.
“There’s a strong sentiment if that building is not restored, they will oppose this project,” he said.
If the building is restored, however, the community by and large supports the project, he said.
At the end of the Board of Adjustments meeting, Board Member Barbara Allsopp thanked the residents for coming to the meeting and commenting on the proposal.
“If you don’t come out and tell us what you see, we don’t know,” she said.
Fire still under investigation
The October 2008 fire at the former Smyrna Times building was ruled arson, but the case remains open.
Assistant State Fire Marshall Richard Ward said there have not been any arrests, but the case is still considered active.
Investigators are looking at other criminal activity in the area to see if it has any relation to the fire, he said.
Anyone with information on the fire is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 739-4447 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
