Allan Appel Photo
The latest cellular tower technology is coming to the 1896-era 1 Brewery Square building in Fair Haven.
Well, not quite yet.
City Plan Commissioners were asked at their monthly meeting last Wednesday night to approve a special permit to allow Metro PCS to add three telecommunications antennae and related equipment on the roof of the massive red stone building at the foot of the Ferry Street Bridge.
The company is renting the space from the landlord. The purpose of the equipment is to facilitate radio signal transmission in order to improve public cellular service, according to the City Plan report.
This would be the 16th such installation that Metro PCS has in New Haven, according to John Nestor, the project manager.
City Plan coordinator Joy Ford said the permit is required because 1 Brewery Square sits in the Quinnipiac River Historic District as well as being on the National Register of historic buildings.
After the City Plan decision, the request must also be approved by the city’s Historic District Permission (HDC).
The commissioners have faced this question before. They have previously approved another company’s installation of equipment atop Erector Square. Click here for that story.
Because HDC approval is also required, Ford had a recommendation for the commissioners: “You may leave some of the aesthetic [discussion] to the HDC.”
The commissioners didn’t quite take the advice. Objecting to one aspect of the proposal, they tabled the proposal and asked Metro PCS to come back next month with a more historically sensitive design.
The request was specifically for two antennae to be mounted “within stealth enclosures in the form of false chimneys” and a third to be mounted on the south side facade and painted to match the color of the brick.
“I have issues with that [front facade mounted antenna],” said Commissioner Maricel Ramos-Valcarel.
At first she asked Nestor if the company could find another building. He said MetroPCS already has equipment mounted on nearby buildings; this location, with its height, is required. He said he was surprised no other company has found it before.
Ramos-Valcarel said the chimney-blending antennae were okay, but not the facade.
“We share the same values [as you]. It is possible to move it to the top. But we think it’ll be more visible [there]. We’re happy to go back to the drawing board,” said Nestor.
“Knowing what I do of the HDC, it’d make sense for you to work it out with us [before you go to them],” added Mattison.
The commissioners voted unanimously to continue the hearing.
“See you next month,” said Mattison.