Self storage business approved for United House Wrecking site
STAMFORD — A developer secured approval Thursday night to place a self-storage facility where United House Wrecking, the Stamford business that peddled kitschy treasures for decades, stood after weeks of tweaking the proposal.
Safeguard Self-Storage pitched the board a toneddown vision for its 44,133square-foot facility on Hope Street, swapping its original proposal for a pareddown and “more aesthetically pleasing” concept for the site, as described by Land Use Bureau Planner Vineeta Mathur.
The original design featured canary yellow siding that drew mixed reactions from board members.
The facility will replace United House Wrecking’s sprawling storefront with a use more in keeping with zoning regulations. The stretch of land starting at 535 Hope Street that winds toward the Darien border is zoned for general industrial uses, including manufacturing facilities and warehouses.
Technically, United
House Wrecking was a non-conforming use, meaning that the property was noncompliant with the established zoning rules for the neighborhood given its consumer-oriented focus. The developer assuaged the board with an updated facade and landscaping plan to combat concerns about the self-storage warehouse sticking out in the area.
Instead of having the company's splashy signature shade everywhere, the Safeguard streetscape will only feature yellow as an accent. Mature trees, when fully grown, will block large parts of the frontage from passersby. Through the trees, a mansard roof will poke out, meant to make the structure seem less like a warehouse.
“Very seldom do applicants address our comments so thoroughly,” board member Roger Quick said in response to the new plan. The board approved the final project by a 4-1 margin, with board member Richard Rosenfeld opposing the proposal.