The second phase of the Main & Monroe project downtown is likely to add 16 units, bringing the total capacity of the to-be-constructed north building to 108 units, with a total 224 units between the two buildings.
In a presentation at the Oct. 2 monthly, regular meeting of the Redevelopment Agency, Nils Berten of Slokker North Real Estate Group and Robert Giannone of Fields Development presented to commissioners architectural renderings and a revised site plan for the Main and Monroe project. Commissioners are expected to memorialize changes to the redevelopment agreement at their Nov. 6 regular meeting, followed by City Council approval of an amendment to revise the agreement.
The additional 16 units will be constructed using the air space over an area originally planned as parking, according to Redevelopment Director Robert Landolfi. There would be two on-street parking spaces on Poplar Street and 11 on-street parking spaces on Monroe conveyed to the city. Between the two buildings, there would be 218 spaces within ground-floor garages. Adding some units to the project had been discussed as far back as April.
Both buildings will be five stories, with phase one under construction being the larger of the two. Phase one, the south building, is nearing completion on Main Street and will include about 116 rental apartments (35 two-bedrooms, 48 one-bedrooms and 33 studios) with 112 parking spaces and three ground floor retail spaces totaling about 4,253 square feet of ground-floor retail. In recent months, it’s been marketed as The Mint at 81 Monroe St.
Phase two is expected to begin after completion of the south building. The north building, on the corner of Poplar Street, would increase, if approval is granted, from an originally proposed 92 units to 108 (52 one-bedrooms, 24 two-bedrooms and 32 studios), with two retail spaces totaling 2,436 square feet, with 106 parking spaces across two levels. As part of the development, Monroe Street will be extended from Main Street connecting to East Cherry Street between The Waiting Room and the new 45-unit Gramercy development.
The contractor anticipates continuing water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer connections through this month, Engineer Jacqueline Dirmann told commissioners. Adjustments to some utilities are currently being evaluated due to the location of the existing gas and water mains, she added.
Early last year, the Planning Board approved minor changes, including shifting the lobby entrance and a change in the HVAC system. The Planning Board originally approved the project in 2015 as a total of 208 units.
