Village of Lewiston ZBA OK's Ellicott Development plaza variances

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

At a short meeting Tuesday, the Village of Lewiston Zoning Board of Appeals granted four variances to Ellicott Development on behalf of the Buffalo company’s Center Street plaza.

The five board members heard a brief presentation on the applicant’s need for variances, and then offered few remarks before passing each of these four code amendments:

•To Section 10R(5)(d)(v) apartment density – no more than eight apartments per acre. The applicant requested an area variance to allow 23 apartments on 2.25 acres.

•To Section 10R(5)(d)(vii)(a) apartment area – units cannot exceed 1,000 square feet in size. The applicant requested an area variance to allow apartments between 627 and 1,266 square feet.

•To Section 10R(5)(d)(vii)(b) – apartments shall be limited to the second story. The applicant requested an area variance to allow up to 11 apartments on the first floor.

•To Section 10R(5)(d)(vii)(b) – apartments shall be limited to one-bedroom units. The applicant requested an area variance to allow two-bedroom apartments.

The plaza borders North Eighth and Onondaga streets. It is zoned RB – restricted business/townhouse.

Ellicott Development recently petitioned the Village of Lewiston to change its plan for building No. 3, the widest and northernmost unit inside the plaza. Company officials said the original idea, which called for first-floor retail, is untenable at this time.

In initial correspondence to the municipality, Director of Development Thomas M. Fox wrote, “We have been actively marketing the commercial space since 2016 and have received significant interest in Buildings 1 & 2 along Center Street but have received little interest in the large vacancy on the 1^st floor of Building 3, located in the rear of the site.

“We are proposing to enclose the drive-thru lane and convert the majority of the 1^st floor of Building 3, 780 Center Street, into 10 market-rate apartments.”

He recently said this as a more feasible option for two reasons:

•The parcel is too big, and too far off the beaten path, for potential commercial tenants. Business owners are reluctant to rent a large space in building No. 3, instead seeking a smaller footprint; and they’re concerned about visibility, as the structure is closer to Onondaga Street than Center Street.

•There is a demand for market-rate apartments. In fact, Fox said, the existing second-floor apartments in building No. 3 are renting at a rate of 70% or higher.

A handful of residents attended the meeting, but offered no remarks during a public hearing prior to the ZBA vote.