Allan Appel Photo
651 Prospect.
Following a trend down the hill on Trumbull Street, two stately old buildings on upper Prospect are set to be converted from an institutional use into homes.
The prospect made City Plan Commission (CPC) Chairman Ed Mattison so happy he pronounced the plans “wonderful.”
Mattison expressed that wonder last week at the monthly meeting of the City Plan Commission. The unanimous approval — technically a special exception to permit a planned development (PDU) designation for nine units on the 1.2 acre tract — came even without a representative from the owners Pike International being present.
The two buildings, at 651 and 661 Prospect Ave. between Highland and Huntington, served for years as the home of the St. Francis Home for Children.
Pike proposes keeping the buildings intact and inserting six dwelling units at 651 (in the house and the accessory building behind) plus another three within 661, and add two garages behind.
Lawn would be added and the on-site parking would be reduced from 30 to 24 spaces.
At the March 12 Board of Zoning Appeals hearing, a frequent critic of municipal plans, the Urban Design League’s Anstress Farwell, testified in support of the conversion.
Wednesday night, all this reduced “intensity” that comes through a shift from institutional to residential use was planning music to the ears of the commissioners and the staff.
“It’s quite wonderful that these handsome buildings will be put to another use, go back on the tax rolls, and [have] a low-intensity use,” said Mattison.
The plans now go back to the Board of Zoning Appeal for a vote. Following that, developers come back before the City Plan with detailed plans in April.