Lucy Gellman Photo
Titus Kaphar, one of the founders of the project.
A plan to transform a former Dixwell factory into an $5.8 million arts center got some support for its plans to make the former industrial space into studio space and residential units, with a lot less parking.
That was the upshot of a special called meeting of the City Plan Commission, which isn’t scheduled to have its regular monthly meeting until Oct. 18, for the forthcoming PostMasters Project. Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Zoning Appeals that they grant a special exception in both cases.
The project is looking to turn the former industrial complex at 169 Henry St. into 38,000 square feet of apartments, artists’ studios, gallery spaces, offices, an assembly hall and a cafe. (Read more about the proposed project here.)
But before the project can get to the business of making such a transformation, it needs the BZA to grant it a special exception that allows the replacement of an existing nonconforming use (light industry) to another nonconforming use (arts center), according to a report from City Plan staff. The project also is requesting an exception that would grant it relief to have only 13 on-site parking spaces where 48 spaces are required.
Tom Talbot, the deputy director of zoning, told the commission that the arts center and residential units would be a less intense use of the site than in its previous light industry past. He also said that as it stands, the parking requirement of 48 spaces was “a little excessive.” The matter goes back to the BZA for a final decision.