Panel OKs 15 new apartments at historic building site
NORWALK — Zoning commissioners have signed off on plans to renovate a more than 150-year-old East Wall Street home and construct a new 15-unit apartment building on the same site.
Despite pushback from neighbors concerned about the size of the project, a majority of commissioners voted Wednesday to approve the multifamily housing development, which will include 26 total apartment units when construction is completed.
The owners of the aging but historic main house at 3 East Wall St., known as the Mor
gan-Lockwood House or Wall Street Manor, have argued building new apartments on the property is necessary to afford renovations to the house’s fading exterior.
“The addition of the proposed 15-unit building allows for much greater attention to detail for the restoration of the Manor House than would have been financially feasible, and preserves the historic Manor House ‘gem’ to remain for years to come,” developers wrote in their application.
According to planning documents filed with the city, developers intend to replace a four-unit carriage house located in the rear of the property with a new three-story, podium-style apartment building designed to complement the existing three-story manor house.
In addition to erecting the new building, builders plan to replace the manor house’s siding, window panes and slate roof. The front porch will also get a significant makeover and the rear portion of the house will be demolished.
Once construction is finished, the restored house will include 11 rental units and the new building will contain 15 units, bringing the combined total across both structures to 26 apartments. Three of those apartments will be offered as affordable housing units.
“Basically we’re going from 16 units on site today to 26 units on site. At the end of the day, this is really a project about adding 10 units,” Craig J. Flaherty, an engineer at Redniss & Mead who is overseeing the project, said. “Now we’re demolishing five of them: Four in the carriage house, one in the manor house. And we’re building 15. But ultimately the delta is plus 10 units.”
The project won support earlier this month from the Norwalk Historical Commission and the Norwalk Planning Commission, but some neighbors expressed concerns about the scope of the development at Wednesday’s hearing.
John Lesko, the owner of the neighboring Raymond Funeral Home, said he is worried the planned 35foot tall apartment building will disrupt views of the sky and could lead to overcrowding in the neighborhood.
“The size of the project is overwhelming for this particular area and community,” Lesko said. “A little bit more breathing room between the buildings, and perhaps a few less apartments in order to establish that, would be a better way of approaching it.”
Lesko, who sits on the city’s planning commission, also said he was worried noise generated during the construction could interrupt wakes and funerals held next door. Lesko has recused himself from votes related to the project.
City resident Diane Cece praised the planned restoration of the manor house but warned the new apartment building, which would stretch 147 feet in length, would appear out of place in the neighborhood and “would definitely not be attractive.”
Zoning commissioners, however, were largely satisfied with the proposal to redevelop the 0.78-acre site.
In a 6-1 vote, commissioners approved an amendment to the city’s building zone regulations allowing the project to move forward. Commission Richard Roina voted against the resolution, citing concerns about excessive density. A vote granting developers a special permit passed unanimously.