EASTON, Pa. – The Easton Zoning Hearing Board denied variances for a six-story, mixed-use building Tuesday night at city hall.
The proposal, slated for 509-519 Northampton St., calls for 50 dwelling units encompassing the entire area of a building 75 feet in height. Forty-five of the units will have one bedroom, with the remaining five designated for two-bedroom units.
The plan proposes 790 square feet of commercial space on the first floor, with 20 off-street parking spaces designated for the first floor underneath the building. The applicant has also entered into a lease agreement for 10 additional off-street parking spaces on Church Street.
Tuesday night’s variance request involved the building footprint of 10,682 square feet, which exceeds the 15% of adjacent footprint allotted. In addition, no public plazas or common areas for a mixed-use apartment complex and retail store with parking on the first floor were proposed.
Andrew Ginsberg testified on the applicant’s behalf Tuesday night. To secure the variance, he said there was “no need” for a public space with the project.
“It’s a non-amenity building; it’s not designed to compete with the Class A-type stuff,” Ginsberg said. “We’re going more for a workforce-type tenant. There’s no need for a public space. There is a commercial requirement, which we are meeting. This will serve not only the building but the community.”
The Easton Planning Commission granted preliminary land development approval for a six-story, mixed-use building on Northampton Street.
Ginsberg indicated the first floor will have underground parking and an 800-square-foot commercial place, with each floor above offering 10 apartments per floor, for 50 total. Ginsberg added there are parking issues in the city, and as such, it was his goal to put as much parking as possible on site. This creates a hardship, serving as rationale for the variance.
He added that the building as proposed would not alter the neighborhood’s character.
Zoners questioned this reasoning. Chairman Michael Civitella said that the applicant’s building footprint is more than 200% over what is allowed. This made granting the relief a major risk.
Ginsberg responded that the site has been vacant for many years. The reason for this, he said, was because it was “economically unfeasible” to derive profit from a three- or four-unit apartment building, as one board member had suggested.
“It’s going to be a difficult site to develop,” Ginsberg said.
The next witness was Christopher Lang, the project’s manager and designer. Lang testified the property size was detrimental to complying with the city’s zoning requirements and served as basis for the variances.
Solicitor Robert Nitchkey Jr. said it was not the parcel but rather the developer’s building that was preventing compliance.
The applicant’s case utilized the premise that the regulations were excessive and outdated. If relief were not granted, they said the site would not be developed anytime soon.
Zoners did not agree. A motion to reject the request received a 2-2 vote, denying it. In an unusual move, zoners then took a second vote, this time to approve it. This also attracted a 2-2 vote, securing failure.
509-519 Northampton St., Easton