Fewer affordable units?
Developers change Mason Street housing plan again
GREENWICH — Plans to erect two large residential buildings at the bottom of Mason Street have been in discussions and revisions for months, and now another modified proposal has been put forward by developers.
Discussions at the Planning & Zoning Commission have been ongoing about the size, height and number of affordable units that would be considered at two parcels, 275-289 Mason St., on the east side, and 290-294 Mason St., on the west side. The initial plan, proposed in 2023, called for a total of 94 units in the two structures, with the affordable units concentrated in one building.
New architectural drawings and a more detailed design scheme were submitted to the town planning department
earlier this month from the developer, Caspi Development of White Plains, N.Y. The height of the building on the east side has been lowered from earlier submissions and concerns about its size in earlier discussions.
The latest plan calls for 24 affordable units, down from 38 in a previous version.
The developer is seeking approvals for a six-story building on the east side with 52 units. Of those, four would be designated as affordable.
The units would be designated as owner-occupied, and the building would stand 79 feet tall.
On the west side, 40 apartment units are planned in a five-story structure measuring 75 feet tall. According to the latest proposal, 10 onebedroom and 10 two-bedroom apartment units would be classified as affordable.
Since the development is proposing to add affordable housing under state guidelines, planning authorities have very limited authority in the approval process under state law. Under the 8-30g state law, developers can take legal action if towns reject proposals for affordable housing for reasons beside public health or safety concerns.
According to the attorney representing the project, Tom Heagney, the location of the
former auto Honda dealership “is ideally suited for an affordable housing project.” The Honda business closed in late 2022 and relocated to Stamford.
The architectural firm EDI International submitted new drawings that employ a fairly traditional design scheme for the structures. The exteriors would be made of brick and cast stone, with some limestone elements.
Some 10,000 square feet of retail space would also be created in the planned development. The proposal calls for 151 indoor parking spaces on the east side of the street, and 17 on the west side.
Neighbors have earlier expressed concerns over traffic and pedestrian safety related to the project, as well as the scale of the development.
A traffic report filed in April by the LaBella Associates claims, “Based on our analyses, it is the considered professional opinion...that the proposed Mason Street development would have a minimal impact on traffic operating conditions of the street system.”
A review of the latest plans has not yet been scheduled by the Planning & Zoning Commission.