From flowers to floors. That’s the plan for the Verstandig’s Floral Shop in Delmar.
Keystone Builders unveiled its plans to transform the 445 Delaware Ave. five-acre lot into nine two-story buildings with 40 condominiums.
Architectural drawings and artistic renderings were displayed to the public during the Feb. 5 planning board meeting inside of Bethlehem Town Hall.
Keystone Builder founder Steve Bolduc presented his vision for the empty lot along with David Albrecht from Saratoga Associates architectural and engineering firm. There are greenhouses, a florist shop, and residences currently on the lot that are slated for demolition in Bolduc’s plans.
Bolduc told board members that he thought the lot was a beautiful piece of property, ideally located along Delaware Ave. He said he wanted to offer the town `an alternative lifestyle that we don’t have around here.`
Bolduc described the buildings in his plans as `high-end condos,` but said he is still in the preliminary stage of planning and has not priced the units yet. He did give planning board members an unofficial estimate in the mid-$300,000 range per unit.
`What our intent is, is to give it some character and some uniqueness,` Bolduc said of his proposal.
Albrecht said the nine buildings would be divided into four and five unit structures with two access points from Delaware Ave. and 64 parking spaces available. He added that there would be underground storage available as well as water quality treatment structures.
Each unit will be between 1,500 and 2,200 square feet and be either three bedroom or two bedroom condos, according to Buldoc, with six different available styles for the units. Although he expects mostly `empty nesters` and very few families to move into the units, Bolduc told the board he did not place an age limit on the development because it could affect demand and limit potential sales.
Bolduc said he already has a waiting list with 45 people interested in the development.
When asked by Planning Board member John Smolinsky if there could be a potential school impact, Bolduc responded by saying the impact would be very limited.
Bolduc said the planned development would include the installation of sidewalks along Delaware Avenue and upgrading the sewer main from a 12-inch pipe to an 18-inch pipe `at a considerable cost` to his company.
Smolinsky also expressed concerns over whether the project fit in with the character of the neighborhood and called the plans `non-residential in scale.`
`What’s important is to not destroy the character of the neighborhood,` Smolinsky told Bolduc, who conceded that the structures were bigger than a typical home.
However, Bolduc countered, there were several larger homes in the area that were comparable in size and added that the pitch of the buildings roofs could be lowered to reduce its elevation.
Bolduc said he is more than willing to work with the town on the development proposal.
`This is very important to me. I’ve worked 30 years for this opportunity,` Bolduc told board members before describing the project as `The flagship project for my whole career.`
Planning Board member Howard Engel asked why so many bedrooms were planned for `empty nesters.`
Bolduc replied that many of the people who downsize still want their same lifestyle but prefer to have a home with little or no maintenance. Many empty nesters want to have extra rooms for family gatherings as well as have a den, library, or office, Bolduc said.
Planning Board member Kathy McCarthy asked if deciduous trees would be included with the landscaping plans and added that she appreciated the plans calling for putting the garages behind the structure and not along Delaware Ave.
Albrecht showed the board a preliminary landscaping draft that showed trees lining Delaware Ave., but few trees in the back of the property where sewer lines would have to be installed. He explained that plantings had to be sparse around the sewer main.
Planning Board Chairman Parker Mathusa asked Bolduc and Albrecht to return to the board with a detailed landscaping and lighting plan as well as a finalized concept rendering.
The board unanimously tabled Bolduc’s application until March 18 for further review and discussion. A public hearing will at that time be appointed for the project.
The planning board also reviewed the Mystic Woods subdivision on Orchard St. and a planned development district for the Pines at Normanside on Leonard Place at the Feb. 5 meeting. The board sent the Mystic Woods application to the Albany County Planning Board for further review and set a March 18 meeting with its developer.
The Pines at Normanside application was tabled until an Army Corps of Engineers report is issued to developers.“