BERLIN – The town’s planning commission approved a site plan for new apartments on Flower Street this week.
On Wednesday, the Berlin Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a site plan for Homes at Berlin. The project involves the renovation of the apartments at 113 Flower St. and the demolition and replacement of the dilapidated apartment building at 115 Flower St.
“I think it’s a nice project,” commission member Pete Cosby said.
Representatives of Homes for America said the nonprofit housing development company owned the 42 units at 113 Flower St., known as the Isaiah Fassett Apartments, and wanted to do an extensive renovation of those. They’ll receive new roofing, windows and siding and will also be outfitted with new kitchens, bathrooms and HVAC systems.
The company also wants to demolish and rebuild the adjacent apartments at 115 Flower St. The decades-old 11-unit building will be replaced with a three-story building featuring 12 units.
When commission member Phyllis Purnell asked what would happen to the tenants of the building to be torn down, the company representatives said they’d have the opportunity to apply for apartments in the new building. They said rent at the apartments would range from $700 to just shy of $1,000.
Planning Director Dave Engelhart said Homes for America had been working with the town on the project for more than a year.
“They’ve been very thorough with this,” he said, adding that the developer had followed the town’s guidance.
Engelhart said both the existing apartment buildings were non-conforming.
“How they got constructed on that site to begin with always puzzled me,” he said.
He said the Homes for America proposal would improve the situation and enhance the streetscape.
“Not only are we getting the new building but the existing apartments, they’re getting a total redo,” he said. “It’s going to be like a new complex there, right next to the park. The town’s put a lot of money into the park over the last few years. I see this as a great project.”
He said the company hoped to begin work on the site this summer.
In addition to approving the Homes for America proposal, the commission on Wednesday also approved a subdivision plat for the Sonrise Church property on Route 818.
