Apartments at old WHEB site face big vote

PORTSMOUTH — A 72-unit apartment project proposed for the 19.6acre site that was formerly the longtime home of the WHEB radio station on Route 1 is slated to be discussed at Thursday night's city Planning Board meeting.

Developers say the apartments at 815 Lafayette Road near a busy section of Route 1 would rent at market rate.

“The proposed project consists of the demolition of the existing building along Sagamore Creek and the construction of three four-story, 24-unit multi-family buildings (72 total units) with ground floor parking,” according to documents filed by the development team. “The project will include associated site improvements such as parking, pedestrian access, utilities, stormwater management, lighting, and landscaping.”

The proposed redevelopment project would be accessed by the existing driveway into the property off Route 1, according to documents filed with the city.

The Planning Board is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to grant site plan approval and to decide whether to approve a wetland Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for work within the 100foot wetland buffer.

The developers on the project are Mike Brown and Ed Hayes.

The developers' representatives acknowledge work would need to be done within the 100-foot tidal buffer. But they point out that the buffer area already “includes impervious parking surfaces, walkways, patio, concrete pads, and a building.

“The project will provide an overall improvement by removing all impervious cover within the 100-foot tidal buffer,” they said.

“The project's landscape plan proposes to replace existing impervious areas with native grass mix and plant native trees in an effort to enhance the previously disturbed wetlands buffer,” according to documents filed by Patrick Crimmins of Tighe & Bond on behalf of the developers.

Crimmins also contends the redevelopment project is consistent with several goals outlined in the city's master plan. One such goal is to “encourage walkable mixeduse development along existing commercial corridors.

“The proposed project has been designed to promote alternative modes of transportation, such as walking and bicycling by incorporating both public and private bicycle storage spaces as well as maintaining a sidewalk connection to the existing sidewalks along Lafayette Road,” Crimmins said in documents filed with the city.

Another master plan goal is to ensure that new development complements and enhances its surroundings.

“The proposed residential buildings will further enhance the continued success of the adjacent commercial, retail, and restaurants located in the Lafayette Plaza and surrounding parcels,” he said.

A third goal is to maintain and establish usable public access to and along the waterfront.

The redevelopment project at the former WHEB site “includes the restoration and enhancement of the 100-foot wetland buffer along Sagamore Creek and grants public access by way of the proposed community greenway trail along the waterfront,” Crimmins said.

“The project will also provide additional and much needed housing stock to the city in an area outside of the downtown core, with easy access to abutting retail and commercial areas, and public transportation,” Crimmins added.

The three apartment buildings would feature parking on the first with apartments on the second, third and forth floors, according to plans filed with the city.

Thursday's Planning Board meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall.