Village of Lewiston approves Fairchild condominium plan, takes next step with Frontier House

by Joshua Maloni

Trustees in the Village of Lewiston approved a development plan for 765 Fairchild Place, site of the former Fairchild Manor, at Monday's monthly board meeting. Goldin Management, a Brooklyn-based property management firm, recently purchased the $1.66-million, almost 1.6-acre property and will convert it into 24 condominium units.

"I think this is a very good mix here," Mayor Terry Collesano said. "It's good for the village. I think it's great (for the developer). We need housing of this sort in the village; the location is perfect."

Project architect David Giusiana of Giusiana Architects and Engineer said the 18 two-bedroom and six one-bedroom units will range in size from roughly 850 to about 2,000 square feet. Each will be sold separately. In addition to the changes listed in Saturday's Sentinel, there will be two parking spaces per unit, two sections of basement on site for group storage, new and improved windows and doors. The expected market, Giusiana said, is baby boomers and snowbirds.

"It's a great project; we need it," said Deputy Mayor Bruce Sutherland.

The condos will be located between Fairchild Place and Onondaga Street, just past the corner of North Eighth Street.

Giusiana estimated the Fairchild project would cost between $2.6 and $3.2 million.

Also Monday, trustees took the next step in qualifying for state funding to purchase and refurbish the historic Frontier House. The board issued a negative declaration on the environmental assessment form (suggesting plans to restore the building will not create an adverse environmental impact). Collesano was given permission to apply for a Department of Transportation grant, and to apply for a change in the village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. Trustees seek to extend the LWRP to include all of Center Street.