Riverview Park Royal gets Shelton P&Z approval
SHELTON — Revitalization of Canal Street is continuing, with plans in place for construction of a new building with retail and 92 apartments, some of which are classified as affordable.
The Planning and Zoning Commission, at its meeting Tuesday, approved Shelton resident and Primrose Companies owner John Guedes’ plan to build a five-story structure, dubbed Riverview Park Royal, at property listed as 113-123 Canal St.
The building will have 11,000 square feet of retail or commercial space and 92 apartments, with, according to the commission’s resolution, no less than nine units set aside as affordable under state statute 8-30g, the state’s affordable housing law.
Guedes had stated at one of the public hearings on the application he would “voluntarily” include eight studios as affordable units.
Commissioners responded with a request for 10 percent, or nine units, to be allocated in a format that would be structured and administered to comply with the state’s affordable housing law.
The commission, in its resolution, affirmed its stance on nine units, further recommending the units be reserved in a “mix that corresponds generally with the overall mix of the proposal, such as three studios, two one-bedroom and four two-bedroom.
Overall, there would be 28 studio apartments, along with 16 one-bedrooms, 44 twobedrooms and four threebedroom apartments.
Structured parking will be provided on a deck at street level, at the rear of the commercial space and under the apartments, with a lower level of parking at the basement level. There will be 205 on-site parking spaces, with one designated for each apartment.
The site, tucked between the railroad tracks and Veterans Memorial Park, consists of 2.57 acres and was originally part of the former industrial development along Canal Street but is now owned by the City of Shelton.
It is a former brownfields parcel, essentially remediated, save for additional excavation necessary to accommodate the development proposal.
The city has owned the property
for years after seizing it following the previous owner’s failure to pay back taxes. Guedes and his partner, Biaggio Barone, have a contract to purchase the land from the city.
The deal also includes Guedes covering the cost of extending the River Walk from Veterans Memorial Park, along the river and ending at Canal Street East.