By Andreas Yilma Citizen’s News
NAUGATUCK — A proposed senior living facility has received the final approval to begin development later this year after changing the height and footprint of the proposed building.
The Zoning Commission unanimously approved, at its special meeting July 12, the revised architectural renderings for the site plan modification request, a bond estimate of $166,437 in an acceptable form to the borough and the site plan modification.
The bond will be for various things including public drainage, sidewalk and road improvements and erosion and sediment control measures.
The site plan modification was approved with a few conditions – that the applicant and the applicant contractor shall attend a preconstruction meeting with the borough land use and engineering staff prior to the start of construction activities and the applicant shall obtain any required state Department of Transportation permits required prior to the start of any construction.
Senior Living Development plans to build a 60,000-square-foot, three-story facility at the site on North Main Street between Wood Street and Myrtle Avenue. The building would now sit on 1.76 acres compared to the previous 1.26 acres.
Mark Lancor a civil engineer from Dymar Inc. of Southbury, on behalf of the applicant, said original facility would’ve sit on 1.26 acres but after the applicant purchased three more parcels of land on Myrtle Avenue, the building would sit on 1.76 acres.
The police and fire commissions unanimously approved the developer’s plan said attorney Kevin H. McSherry, who represents applicant.
The Zoning commission voted at its previous June meeting that the applicant’s alterations, which include reducing the facility from five stories to three, changing the frame from steel to wood and slightly expanding outward, is not a significant change.
The commission also previously approved in April to change the zone from RA-1 to B2 to five properties on Myrtle Avenue as well as approving a text change to permitted uses of the zoning regulations to allow on street parking spaces.
The Zoning Commission in October of 2020 originally approved special permit for a five-story senior assisted living and memory care facility at 491-501 North Main St. and 24 Wood St. but the developer came back to the borough with revised plans due to the cost of construction going up. The building will now be built with wood compared to steel.
Mark Lancor a civil engineer from Dymar Inc. of Southbury, on behalf of the applicant, said they will be taking responsibility for fully milling and overlay for the two dead end streets, Wood Street and Myrtle Avenue. The bonding includes for the developer to do the work.
“They’re going to be providing the pavement on those two streets which is very beneficial to the town and assisting us with drainage issues,” borough engineer Jim Stewart said. “It’s good.”
Lancor said they’re hopeful to do the demolition work in September and look to start construction in November.
McSherry said the Naugatuck Fire Department training officers have requested to train in the four homes owned by the developer before demolition. The fire department won’t set them on fire, McSherry added.
Lancor said it’s about a 14 month construction period until completion which leads the developer to the end of 2023 or very early part of 2024.
Principal architect Patrick Mixdorf said the building will have the same interior function and uses as the original five story concept. The facility will have a pitched roof with some typical asphalt shingles. The development will also have some landscaping that includes some Japanese hollies, Mixdorf added.
Mark De Pecol, CEO of Senior Living Development, was pleased with the approval and said he has a lot of appreciation for the borough and the commissions.
“They’re so good to work with. They’re both knowledgeable and helpful and it makes our job really easy,” De Pecol said. “We’re looking forward to bringing the project to the town.”
