Planners Give Preliminary OK to Lafayette Dorm

The Easton Planning Commission gave a preliminary nod Wednesday to plan to demolish 521 March St. and replace the two-story, six-apartment unit with a four-story student housing unit that will accommodate 35 people.

The current wooden structure, more than 100 years old, is “deteriorated” and “not really usable in a safe way in it's current condition,” city planning director Becky Bradley told the commission.

The proposed apartment building would be an approximately 42 feet tall, concrete structure with an elevator and sprinkler system. It would have 12 apartments, and would be nearly 3,400 square feet.

The parcel, adjacent to Cattell Street, is owned by Lafayette, but would be leased to Radnor Property Group on a 5-year agreement, who will build and own the building, said company owner Dave Yeager.

“This is a private sector development. It will be fully taxed,” Yeager said, adding that the lease has options to renew for up to 35 years.

“In the event we do sell, the only institution that could buy it is the college,” he added.

It was not immediately clear whether the building could become tax-exempt if it reverted back to the college.

Yeager said his firm intends to incorporate architectural elements seen in the neighborhood into the building's design.

“It's a gateway piece. It is going to be a very important piece of architecture,” Yeager said.

But some commissioners felt the current sketch and plans were not detailed enough and questioned its height, though allowable under city code.

“It's taking a two-, two-and-a-half-story building and blowing it up on steroids,” said commissioner Dennis Leib. “I'd be furious if I lived there.”

Neighbor Pat Bacelli was far from happy with the proposal.

“This is the tallest thing on the street. It's taller than the churches. The building, in my mind, will be a monstrosity. The majority of buildings (on the block) are single family homes,” he said. “With the windows on (the back) side, say goodbye to any privacy for people in their backyards.”

He added that despite permit parking being instituted in the neighborhood a few years ago to discourage the college's students from parking on the street, it is rarely enforced.

“You're condemning Cattell Street,” Bacelli said. “The fact that the building should be torn down, what does that have to do with what they want to put up there. This isn't similar."

Commissioners questioned whether the project wouldn't still be feasible if the building were to be reduced to three stories instead, but Yeager said a smaller building or another use for the property would be financially impossible.

Other commissioners said they would like to see a less 'box-like' design.

Bradley said a new design for the exterior of the building to make it more in keeping with the rest of the neighborhood could be infeasible.

“I'm personally concerned about micro-managing the plans,” she said. “They're really far along on those plans. The question is, do they want to pay for another set of plans?”

She added that she and the city staff would be hard-pressed for time to review them in time for the next meeting.

The project will also need a zoning variance for parking because the increase in size would leave it six spots short of city requirements. Yeager said the extra spaces would be provided by the college on campus.

Bradley said the college will have to provide the city with a signed agreement to ensure the parking situation.

The zoning hearing board will address the parking matter at its May 16 meeting.

The decision on granting the project final planning approval is expected to come before the commission again at its June 1 meeting.

The Pierce Street parking lot proposal

Also likely to come up next month is a proposal to convert unused tennis courts on Pierce Street into a 42-space parking lot.

The lot would be landscaped with trees, bushes and ground coverings, and surrounded by a black painted aluminum fence, college officials said.

Widening the access points to the lot would require the removal of 5 on-street public parking spaces.

The plan was tabled by the commission, who said they would like to see a more detailed plan that addresses neighborhood concerns before coming to any vote.

Jan Aponavicius, whose house is adjacent to the property, said she has major issues with the proposal.

“We've been there 40 years, and now Lafayette is changing the entire landscape of our neighborhood,” she said. “I don't believe those 42 parking spots, with parking in front of our house, and parking on the side of of our house, will help our parking problem.

“You're invading...our homes. This is where we live. We don't need 42 more parking spots in our backyards,” she added, asking. “If this is approved, and I hope it isn't, is this going to be the summer of hell with bulldozers?”

Pierce Street resident Joshua Ray also expressed concerns that the lot would make parking in the neighborhood worse, not better.

“I'm still foggy on what this is solving,” he said. “I'm anticipating 42 new cars parking across the street from my house, in addition to the ones that are bumper to bumper on the street.”

Commissioner Robert Sun questioned the lighting for the site, asking if shielding would be enough to keep from annoying residents.

“You're telling me about this conceptual (lighting) shield, but you can't tell me what the effect will be,” he told college officials.

Resident Maryann Barrett also expressed concerns about lighting, saying that the college broke it's promise with regard to it's stadium lights, which are frequently left on all night and disturb residents.

“I frankly don't trust Lafayette after the stadium lights,” she said, adding that the only lights for the parking lot she'd find acceptable would be ground lighting. “You have street lights. You don't need lights.”

Other commissioners questioned if the new lot would alleviate any neighborhood parking woes.

“I don't see how assigning spaces in these lots to students and personnel in this lot is going to help with street parking, and it was my understanding that was a major thrust of this,” said commissioner Ron Sherman, after college representatives confirmed public parking would not be permitted in the lot.

Commissioner Dennis Lieb also questioned the plan, saying the lot could be a campus housing site one day, “but instead it will be used to store idle automobiles.” He said he thought the college should make an effort to reduce the student car population and encourage alternatives, such as public transportation.

“You don't always solve problems by providing more of something,” Lieb said. “Until the college shows it's trying to reduce the number of automobiles, I have a tendency to want to vote against any more surface parking at Lafayette. My guess is that this is going to be an excuse to close Pardee Drive because they've added parking.”

Commission chair Charles Elliot said the board will likely want conditions set on the potential lot's lighting arrangements, because complaints about the stadium lighting were a “breach of trust” with the public.

Commissioners tabled the matter, with Lafayette College's agreement. The college said it will resubmit more detailed plans that address the commissions concerns at the commissions next meeting on June 1.

The Watson Hall Courtyard proposal

Also to come before the board again on June 1, due to being tabled with the college's agreement, is the institution's proposal for closing Pardee Drive and a portion of High Street and turning it into a pedestrian-only green area.

Near the college's Watson Hall, the change would “improve the collegiate environment and increase student safety,” said college vice president Mitchell Wein.*

If the plan goes through, 31 off-street campus parking spots would be eliminated.

The plan does not yet contain a proposal to replace the lost parking, and lacks proper lighting and landscaping plans, the commission said.

Easton Fire Department Chief John Bast said the plan is insufficient for emergency vehicle access, especially in case of a fire.

“If we've got people trapped on the top floor, I couldn't get an aerial truck in,” he said, noting that the vehicle weighs 80,000 pounds and requires a 26-foot access.

Pardee Drive, currently 19 feet wide, would be reduced to 16 feet, if the plan were to go through as is currently proposed. But the current situation, grandfathered and not up to modern standards, will have to be rectified if the college wishes to embark on the project.

Bast said reinforced turf would not be sufficient for the truck's weight, and the department has a tough time negotiating the current roadways near the campus.

“We're using roads built for horses up there,” he said. “They haven't kept up.”

The plan was tabled, pending negotiations with the fire department that would address emergency vehicle access, as well as the addition of parking and lighting details.

“Frankly, (this proposal), it seems to me, comes to us in a premature state,” Elliot said.

The Watson Hall proposal is also likely to be revisited at the next commission meeting on June 1.

*Mr. Wein's name was misspelled in an earlier version of the story.