November
14,
2007
By Robin Kaminski/The Daily Item
The City Council granted a special permit to developer
Thomas L. Demakes Tuesday for a residential complex to
be housed at the Houghton Branch Library, which is located
in a business-zoned district.
Demakes was the lone bidder for the property earlier this
year and proposed to rehabilitate the building and turn
it into an eight unit dwelling at 831 Western Ave.
Attorney Thomas C. Demakis said the next step would be
to obtain a parking variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Since parking spaces are not included in the sale of the
library, Demakis said Demakes purchased a lot for $25,000
at 811 Western Ave. that has seven parking spaces for the
property.
The lot was originally owned by the
city and was later transferred to the Economic Development & Industrial
Corporation (EDIC) for the purpose of creating additional
parking for the property.
However, 12 spaces are required for the property and Demakis
said his client is actively searching for more in the area.
"We might be able to tastefully squeeze in one or
two more spaces on the library site, but my client is spending
a lot of money and he doesn't want to make it look like
junk," he said.
Councilor at Large Charles O'Brien said he was uncomfortable
with the fact that there weren't enough parking spaces
allocated to the complex.
"If I was to buy one of these dwellings, where am
I going to park," he asked. "I'm not going to
park down the street if I'm paying good money - it doesn't
make sense. People are going to start parking in other
places."
Demakis reassured O'Brien that the spaces would be located
about 160 feet from the residence.
"The zoning ordinance states that parking spaces
have to be within 200 feet of the dwelling and the spaces
we have would be about 30 seconds away," he said. "My
client has gone above and beyond to purchase that lot and
if that's the only issue, then nothing else can go there
because there isn't any other parking available on site."
Ward 6 Councilor Peter Capano expressed concerns with
the parking situation and requested the approval for the
permit be granted with the understanding that parking would
have to be found.
"Demakes wants to make the library really nice and
I think it will work," he said.
Demakis said if the variance is granted, the closing on
the property would most likely take place in December.
"We would like to close as soon as possible, but
the deadline to close is February 2008," he said. "Originally
we had 180 days to close, then we got a 120 day extension
and then 90 days."
Prior to Demakis's bid of $299,000 to turn the former
library into a residential complex, Sokhoeun Pres was awarded
a bid for $250,000 in 2006 to create a Cambodian Cultural
Center.
Pres withdrew her bid in November 2006 and the City Council
reimbursed the $25,000 deposit she placed on the building
and put it back out to bid.
Demakis, who previously bid against Pres, won the second
bid.
All three branch libraries were placed on the auction
block last May and later sold after they were closed as
the result of budget cuts. |
