Designs are falling into place for a proposed new four-story, 20-unit mixed-use residential/commercial building with ground-level retail in Wilton Center just south of Village Market. Designed by Granoff Architects, the proposal for 118 Old Ridgefield Rd. returned to the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday evening, Sept. 9, for a second pre-application hearing.
The project was first submitted in April, then underwent architectural changes ahead of its first pre-app hearing with P&Z in July. Last week, (Thursday, Sept. 5) the team presented new renderings to the Village District Design Advisory Committee, the members of which were mostly positive about this latest design direction.
During pre-app, an applicant and the Commission can engage in a non-binding dialogue about a project to fine-tune the details before it is formally submitted. At this stage, there is no public comment permitted. In recent years, the role of the pre-application period at P&Z has ballooned, with some projects going through as many as five rounds of pre-app dialogue with the Commission before public comment can be heard. The Kimco redevelopment covered earlier this week was in pre-application for 2.5 years before the project reached public review, a course that seems to have given the applicant team the mistaken impression that the project would sail through approval once submitted.
At Monday’s P&Z meeting, the attorney for 118 Old Ridgefield Rd. signaled that this team does not intend on following a similar path.
“I don’t know that we have to be back before you with pre-app again,” Liz Suchy of Carmody Law said. “If we have to come back pre-app, it’s fine, but if there’s a way that we can resolve [comments from P&Z and VDDAC] and come with a full application, that might be preferable.”
Changes and Feedback
On Monday, Ken Anderson of Granoff Architects presented P&Z with the newest design, which incorporates a much larger arcade, nearly twice as much retail space, and 20 apartments instead of the prior 24. The overall shape of the building has also changed, incorporating a series of intersecting gables along the roofline and a corner tower and octagonal plaza feature that Anderson said was inspired by the town green gazebo across the street. In their feedback last week, the members of the VDDAC liked the tower structure and recommended bringing it further out as an architectural feature.
In response to P&Z’s feedback in July, the design was updated to include a restaurant element toward the rear of the building, where outdoor seating would overlook the Norwalk River. The Commission had also asked the applicant to explore some kind of roof feature that could serve as a visual marker of Wilton Center, visible from Rte. 7/Danbury Rd. across the river during the winter months when trees along the riverbanks are bare. This suggestion was not pursued.
P&Z Commissioners Jill Warren, Mark Ahasic, Anthony Cenatiempo, and Eric Fanwick praised the latest design, particularly the larger arcade, octagonal plaza, and tower feature. Vice Chair Rotini and others agreed with VDDAC’s suggestion to bring the tower out further from its current set-back location.
Chair Rick Tomasetti urged the team to consider relocating the arcade to run along the south side of the building with views of the Norwalk River, rather than “the loading dock of Village Market.” He also cautioned that the Wilton Center zoning overlay would require that the fourth floor be set back from the main building footprint. Setbacks are generally designed to mitigate the visual weight of the top stories of buildings, allowing for larger structures that don’t feel as tall from street level.
However, Commissioner Chris Pagliaro flagged in response that he did appreciate the intersecting gable roof design, and worried that eliminating it for something like dormers (which would be allowed according to the code) would be a loss of character for the building.
The discussion ended warmly with Suchy promising that the team would be back before P&Z again with updated designs incorporating this feedback.