Pair of condo developments proposed in Gorham
A map of where the proposed 22-unit condominium association would be located at 157 South St. in Gorham. (Courtesy of Town of Gorham)
Gorham is considering two new condominium developments that would add 52 housing units.
The proposed Southridge Condominium Association at 157 South St. would have 22 identical, approximately 1,020-square-foot, two-bedroom condominiums on 4.3 acres. Each unit would be priced at about $370,000-$430,000 and the complex would cost an estimated $7 million to build, according to developer Anthony Fernandez.
“We’re looking to get more affordable housing,” Fernandez said. The proposed development would be located in Gorham’s designated growth district near the town center.
The complex would replace an abandoned house on the site and consist of a pair of two-story structures and a parking lot with 29 spaces. A small trail loop would be built in the woods on the property. Fernandez would add a lawn on the north side of the property with a picnic table and park benches.
Neighbors at a public hearing on Monday raised concerns about the density of the units, their own privacy, traffic on South Street and lighting. Meredith Bullard said she thinks the trail loop would increase foot traffic by her home and disturb the area’s character.
The planning board voted to postpone a preliminary approval of the development and will schedule a site walk to assess the distance between the proposed structures and neighboring properties.
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Though 30 feet is typically the required setback distance between a structure and property line, Fernandez is proposing a 13-foot setback on the south side of the complex, which the board could approve since the neighboring lot has a standalone garage that is 12.1 feet from the propety line. The board said it will also assess whether the application meets buffering requirements.
A scheduled public hearing for Thistle Petite Condominiums, a development of 30 units behind 34 County Road proposed by Christina Mitchell, was delayed to Aug. 17 due to time constraints. The complex would contain six four-unit buildings and two three-unit buildings and be restricted to owners over 55 years old.
The current property consists of a mixed-use development that is now under construction, including a 720-square-foot commercial building, a single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit.
That project received preliminary approval from the board in January, but the board wrote in its most recent comments that “a number of significant technical, legal, engineering, and ordinance compliance items remain outstanding.” The development would require installing a turning lane on County Road (Route 22), and had to be downsized from 32 units to meet density requirements.
Mitchell could not be reached for comment Wednesday about the price of the units, the number of bedrooms per unit or anticipated construction costs.
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Tagged: affordable housing, development, housing
Madeleine is a community reporter for Gorham, Buxton and Standish. She started her journalism career in Vermont, where she reported for Seven Days and served as the editor-in-chief of Middlebury College's. More by Madeleine Kaptein
