216 38^th Street

Partners: Moss Architects and E Properties

Presenting: Andrew Moss

• ZBA Hearing = 9/8
• Coordinating between the developers to mitigate negative impact on neighbors
• Proposing to build property line to property line and to front property line
• Next to property currently under construction on 38^th St
• Garage to be accessed off alleyway, set back 5’ because alley so narrow
• Variances
  • Almost identical to project across the street
  • No height variance
  • Setback variances, variance for rooftop deck
• Design
  • Masonry base, cement board panel and siding up center
  • Small canopy covering front entrances
  • Same height as property under construction nextdoor

Presenting: Emeka – E Properties

• Office on 47^th (?) and Butler
• Currently doing McCleary School Condos project
• Very active in Lawrenceville
• Working with project across the street to address concerns about port-a-johns, construction, road openings; looking to use same contractors
• Size and scale of project is comparable to other projects in the area that E Properties has done

Q & A

• Brandon Dunlevy (234 38^th St): Large pothole on 38^th Street resulted from other construction.
  • Emeka: Sub-contractor opened it, working to solve it with contractors and the city.
  • Matt: Timeline on getting this done.
  • Emeka: Hopefully next few weeks.
• Rege Ricketts (255 38^th St): Properties up from Cantina are huge eye sores – what’s going on with them? Someone was supposed to do something with them.
  • Matt: LC tried to take through the Treasurer’s Sale, but taxes were paid off before we could get them. Property owner still sitting on them, not doing anything.
• Jenna DiMenno (229 38^th Street): 1-car or 2-car garages?
  • Emeka: 1 each, 2 total
  • Andrew Moss: if small cars, can probably fit 2.
  • Jenna: Most people have 2 cars these days. Should consider pushing parking into the site more to fit 2 spots back-to-back.
• Mike Cummins (236 38^th St): Every setback including height?
  • Andrew Moss: Not height – staircase doesn’t count and is permitted by right
  • Mike: But looking for setbacks on all sides?
  • Andrew: Not rear but sides and front.
  • Mike: Seems like you’re trying to jam more in than necessary. Already significant issues with parking. Lot seems better suited for something similar to the adjacent property and house.

211-219 38^th Street

Partners: Senko Construction & Moss Architects

Presenting: Kris Senko

• Purchased 211-219 38^th Street with intent to create 5 new townhomes there
• ZBA Hearing: September 22^nd
• History of owners, Senko Construction
  • # of projects completed locally in Northside, Oakland, Lawrenceville
    • Doughboy Square townhomes
    • Shops @ Doughboy
  • Begin in 1996, started development in 2004
    • Used to working in high density urban neighborhoods
  • Plans to mitigate impact on residents
    • Connecting with developers at 216 38^th Street to coordinate street openings/closures, sidewalk closures, using same contractor most likely in order to minimize headache on neighbors
    • Keeping dumpsters off road if possible, keep on site is the goal
      • Ideally place port-a-johns on site as well
    • Timing: with ZBA approval, would break ground on 3/1/2017 with 8 months construction (to be completed end of October 2017)
      • Most inconveniences to neighbors would be at the front end of the timeline (e.g. road work)

Presenting: Andrew Moss

• Lives next door to site
• White house on site to be torn down
• Five 20’ lots
  • Plan to keep new houses on top of hill, set back from street
  • Keep site wall low, terracing of site for yards
  • Trying to maintain stone wall
  • 2-car garages at back of each house
  • Front = staircase, front year
  • Keeping slope of 38^th Street, homes to step up with grade as go up the hill
  • 3 bedrooms, 2 bath
• Variances needed
  • Relatively minor compared to other projects in the neighborhood
  • Side setbacks: zoning requires 5’, asking for 0’
    • Setbacks are internal to the site
  • Rear setback as well
  • No height variances needed
  • Balconies on front: classified as separate variance but also setbacks
• Design
  • Masonry ground floor, steel panel for upper floors, top floors to be cement or siding panel
  • New street trees and sidewalks

 

Q&A

• Rege Ricketts (255 38^th St): When to start?
  • Kris Senko: March 1, 2017. 8 months maximum so expect to be done at the latest by late Octobrer
• Jenna DiMenno (229 38^th St): This will create extra traffic on Obregon Street, which is a blind turn. Any plans to create a mirror there?
  • Andrew Moss: Definitely open to it.
  • Matt Galluzzo: City does it in blind spots, can coordinate with them.
• Pete Landis (Roasted): Setbacks are newer – why required in the rear?
  • Andrew Moss: How it’s written in the code, but doesn’t really reflect how homes have been built in Lawrenceville historically.
• Cory Ricci (LU Board member): Price range?
  • Senko: Market-rate. Haven’t set the price yet but expecting around $570,000.
• Erika Gidley (233 38^th Street): If don’t get the zoning approval for the rear setback, what is Plan B?
  • Andrew Moss: Parking pads in the back.
  • Matt Galluzzo: Not providing parking would require an additional variance.
• Jim Petruzzi (3918 Liberty Ave): Obregon is a very dangerous road.
  • Senko: No plans for Obregon, but talks with city to topcoat Foster Street.