THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WRITTEN BY ELAINE EZERINS APPEARED IN THE JUNE 14TH EDITION OF THE ST. ALBANS MESSENGER
Two 15-unit buildings planned
By ELAINE EZERINS
Messenger Staff Writer
FAIRFAX - Any day now, Franklin South LLP should receive in the mail its minor Act 250 permit for the construction of senior housing in Fairfax, according to owner Gabriel Handy:
The real estate development company wants to build two senior housing apartment buildings, 15 units each, on Old Academy Street in an existing planned unit development. Each building would have its own bedrock well and be connected to municipal water for fire protection and municipal wastewater services.
These buildings fall into the second phase of a larger construction project. The first phase, which was conducted in the early 2000s, consisted of the construction of a 47-unit building next door.
Handy said he didn't want to repeat a building of that size because it took three years to bring it to full occupancy. According to Handy, senior housing in Fairfax is harder to sell or rent over places like Chittenden County because of a smaller senior population and the considerable distance to the nearest hospital.
However, he said one-bedroom units with all utilities included are $200 cheaper in Fairfax than in Chittenden County. Handy said it's this reason why he thinks the new buildings will fill up eventually, even if there isn't a quick turnaround.
Back in November, Handy brought the site plan to the Fairfax Development Review Board for approval, refreshing the memory of some board members who had already seen the blueprints during the first go around.
On June 6, Handy expected to receive his minor Act 250 permit. However, the Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) requested a hearing on the same day over a concern that there would be no sidewalk between the 47-unit building and the new 15 unit buildings.
Handy said the company always planned to create a sidewalk connecting the new buildings to the street sidewalk, but initially passed on connecting the buildings to each other because of the high costs and presumed low usage of the sidewalk.
But after the NRPC requested a hearing, Franklin South LLP decided to just go and put the 200-foot connector sidewalk into their plans, Handy said.
Handy said a hearing would have been time consuming and could have possibly delayed construction. When Franklin South LLP committed to building the connector sidewalk, the NRPC withdrew their request on June 9.
Handy said after Franklin South LLP receives the minor Act 250 permit, the company is just waiting on labor industry approval before it will be all set to begin construction in the month of August.