By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, N.H. — There is certainly a housing crisis in full effect, but in the city of Claremont, the planning board recently approved several applications at their last meeting that will help alleviate these issues.
The planning board approved an application for a site plan proposal by Pauly Family Trust to convert the second and third floor of 109 Pleasant Street into five residential units. Owner Mitchell Pauly owns several properties in the city, and he called this “a pretty prime one.”
“I really do have high hopes for this building,” he said. “The location is absolutely tremendous. There’s tons of space in this building.”
According to City Planner Austin Ford, this is a 0.32-acre, 14,118 square foot lot at the corner of Pleasant Street and Myrtle Street. It is entirely in the mixed-use district and not in the historic district, or any stream, bank or flood hazard district. The building is in a neighborhood of diverse land use and fits the properties of the mixed-use district, he said. It is surrounded by gas stations and offices, as well as single and multi-family homes.
The proposal is for a three-bedroom apartment, a one-bedroom apartment and a studio apartment on the second floor. The third floor will have two studio apartments. The existing commercial use on the first level will remain the same.
The 10,617 square foot mixed-use, three-story brick building is entirely conforming to the regulations of the mixed-use district. It is mostly for retail offices, Ford explained. There is a parking lot for 11 spaces on the property, and while the site survey suggests as many as 14 spaces, he doesn’t feel there will be a need for more. He noted that there is ample parking in the area.
Pauly said that over the last two years the effort to get the second and third floor rented in a commercial capacity received zero results, but he knows there is a dire need for residential housing.
“When it came to my attention this was fully conforming mixed-use property in a fully conforming location, it seemed to make economic and social sense for the city itself to make these units,” Pauly said.
Pauly said the idea is not to change the character of the building, as he thinks it has a lot of charm. It is just to convert it to a “perfectly viable, good living space in a great location in Claremont.”
“I certainly hope that this would be approved,” Pauly said. “I think this would be great for Claremont to have new housing stock in a desirable location, and the hope would be to get what I call middle income professionals to the area, with a decent amount of disposable income which would be good for the city and their auxiliary businesses.”
The project was reviewed by department heads on Sept. 10, according to Ford. Issues raised included fire safety and parking, which were addressed in a meeting and also included in the applications. The applicant requested a waiver for a landscaping plan given that there are no landscaping changes being proposed, and that there is sufficient landscaping. The waiver was granted by the planning board, and they approved the project.
Also approved was a conditional use permit for 13 Grandview Street, where the applicant, Luis Lema, will be demolishing a structure for ongoing development of the lot.
“The applicant intends to replace the demolished structure with a duplex,” said Ford. “Given the demolition, this is to be considered a new construction, not a conversion.”
Ed Jordan represented the applicant, and said, “We are looking to turn a blighted property int a viable, quality property in Claremont.”
