WILLIAMSBURG— The Williamsburg Planning Commission considered a proposal submitted by AES Consulting Engineers on behalf of Broad Street Realty to convert some of Midtown Row’s retail space into additional apartments at its Oct. 16 meeting.
The special use permit would allow Midtown Row to convert 8,467 square feet of vacant retail space in Building No. 1 of Midtown Row, located at 221 Monticello Ave., to five apartments: two 4-bedrooms and three 3-bedrooms. Building No. 1 is the building nearest the William & Mary School of Education. According to the proposal, the request would remove all retail from Building No. 1.
Staff recommended denial of the proposal as it was believed it didn’t meet the criteria for special use permits.
“We never wanted any commercial space in Building One in the first place. The planning commission — city — they wanted us to try our best to fit as much commercial space into the project as we could. So what leftover space we had in Building One we just made it commercial and we did the best we could,” said Broad Street Realty CEO and Chairmen of the Board Michael Z. Jacoby.
According to the applicant, residency occupancy is at 100% and there is a waiting list. In its five years, the space in question was reportedly only toured once. On the retail side, the applicant reports that while parts of the area are near capacity or meeting capacity, the ground floor retail of the newer buildings — including Building No. 1 — is only 20% leased.
“I’m concerned that it is true that it will have an effect on the adjoining properties, because it’s the, ‘OK, we changed that one, now we’d like to change this one and we’d like to change this one,'” said commission member Marcia Liebel.
“I think it’s a minor change and I’d like to see it go to at least some kind of active use other than vacant space,” countered member Erica Bowe.
A motion was made and seconded to deny the proposal. That motion faied 3-2, with one abstention.
The planning commission reviews and makes recommendations to the city council on special use permits, which will consider the proposal at a future date.
