Hormoz Mansouri’s EI Team, Inc. has revised plans for a mixed-use building at the 3.34-acre site of the shuttered Amherst Bowling Center at 47 E. Amherst Street. In November, the Zoning Board of Appeals denied variances sought for the project relating to front setbacks and parking located along a street frontage. The revised plan shows a new building design and the building has been brought to the sidewalk along E. Amherst Street. The Zoning Board required the added public art component as a condition of approval allowing the proposed five stories.
The project will involve the demolition of the existing vacant building and will replace it with a five-story, 184-unit apartment building with first floor commercial space and parking for 167 vehicles.
The revised plan requires variances for building height and parking location. From the application:
We are requesting a variance on the height of the building so that we can add four floors of residential units at approximately 10-11′ in height each, in addition to the commercial space on the first floor (approximately 20′ in height) to make the project financially viable. Based upon our previous variance request, we have revised the design so that the height along East Amherst Street is four stories (44′) while the remaining height of the building is five stories (54′).
We have revised the location of the parking as per the Zoning Board’s request that there is no parking along East Amherst Street. Along Holden Street, we have set back the parking more than 75′ from the comer of East Amherst and Holden. This parking area has also had a green wall (trees & bushes) added to obscure the parking spaces along Holden. Along Pannell Street, there will be a retaining wall along the property line on Pannnell and the adjoining property. We intend to add a 6′ solid white fence to assure additional separation and near the comer of East Amherst and Pannell, we have placed green space at 75′ in length to again assure compliance with no parking along East Amherst Street. We are requesting a variance on the location of the parking spaces so that ample parking can be provided for the building. This will assist both residents and visitors to the site to be able to access the various retail businesses as well as the residential entrances in a more convenient manner.
EI Team designed the project. The Zoning Board of Appeals will review the revised proposal next Wednesday.