In January and March of 2018, the developers of the new CityPlace Burlington (formerly the Burlington Town Center) submitted permit applications to the Department of Planning & Zoning for changes to the project’s design and interior layout. Recently, some of our neighbors have shared inaccurate information regarding these proposed changes.
We would like to offer an explanation of the proposed changes, as well as directly address two inaccurate assertions:
- that the changes outlined in the approved January permit application would remove all of the street-level retail from the building, and that...
- there would be significantly fewer parking spaces than what was previously agreed to.
There continues to be a significant amount of space planned and designed for retail and other street-activating uses along all 4 street-facing facades of the project as required by the new planBTV: Downtown Code.
Specifically:
- Cherry St is lined with storefronts with the exception of an entrance to access upper-level parking and 2 lobby entrances to access upper level commercial and residential uses. There are currently 4 retail spaces planned on the First Floor all accessed from Cherry.
- Bank St is lined with storefronts with the exception of an entrance to access upper-level parking, a service entrance, and two lobbies to access upper level commercial and residential uses. There are currently 3 retail spaces planned on the Ground Floor accessed from Bank – two of which are two-story.
- The new block of St Paul St is almost completely lined with storefronts with the exception of 2 lobby entrances to access upper level commercial and residential uses. There is currently one 2-story retail space planned on the Ground Floor accessed from Bank, one retail space on the First Floor accessed from St. Paul, and one retail space on the First Floor accessed from Cherry.
- The new block of Pine St is lined with storefronts with the exception of an entrance to access underground parking and a lobby to access upper level commercial and residential uses. There are currently two separate retail spaces planned - one on the Ground Floor accessed from Pine and the other on the First Floor accessed primarily from Cherry.
See an illustration of these changes here.
As for parking, the development as currently permitted continues to provide a total of 939 parking spaces – 200 more than is required by the City’s zoning. Recently approved changes to the project reduce the amount of parking that will be located below-grade in the Basement level, but to make up for that reduction, parking has been added to the first level. All of this parking will be completely hidden from the street by either retail at the street level or housing on levels 2-4 along all 4 frontages.
The modifications to the CityPlace Burlington project submitted in January were approved by Planning staff under the new Form Based Code provisions of the City’s zoning ordinance. The work proposed involved only the lower portion of the project (the Basement through the 5th floor).
The approved changes included:
- The addition of 16 new residential units, raising the project total to 288 units with 20% dedicated as affordable under the City’s inclusionary housing requirements. The new housing units will separate and completely hide upper-level parking from view from the street.
- A modest reduction and re-arrangement of the retail and office floor area. The total reduction is ~7,800 square feet of office and ~1,600 square feet of retail.
- A reduction of the parking floor area in the basement and re-arrangement of parking floor area on levels 2-4. The project is required by zoning to provide 734 spaces but will provide a total of 939 spaces. While the total floor area dedicated to parking was reduced by ~50,000 square feet overall, developers were able to accommodate all of the spaces by managing them using valet in the basement and on levels 2-4.
- A rearrangement of window and door openings along all 4 facades, and the removal of an awning running along all 4 facades. The material types and proportions remain unchanged, and the canopies over the recessed principal entries remain as approved.
To see the full plan set, click here. To see the conditions of approval, click here.
A second permit application involving additions for amenity space for the residential tenants on the 7th and 12th floors was submitted in early March. Because it involves adding new building mass above 65-feet it will be reviewed by the DRB at their April 17th meeting. You can find more information regarding this application at https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/PZ/DRB/Agendas.
David White, Director of Planning & Zoning, and Noelle MacKay, Director of Community & Economic Development Office, presented a summary of both of these applications to the City Council on April 16, 2018. See their presentation slides here.
If you have any questions about these changes, or the larger CityPlace Burlington project, please contact David White, Dir. of Planning & Zoning, at dewhite@burlingtonvt.gov.
