Haverhill City Council approved an updated design for a 14-unit property on Kenoza Avenue after city councilors objected to architectural alterations earlier this month.
Developer John Tucci says the reimagined look of the project faced several aesthetic challenges, including an angled foundation during Tuesday night’s meeting.
“The rendering shows a square building, but we’re not building a square building,” he told the council.
Developers added an additional 10 windows, double columns at the front of the building.
“We’ve made the changes requested, we feel that it will be a good looking building in that corner,” he added. “The building is actually smaller. As it was approved at a 40 [foot] height, it is now at 38 [feet].”
“I think that while some of that may be trying to account for sins of the past, in terms of things that may have been approved and turned out to be different, we are not architects, we are not design professionals. The reality is that this is a blighted site, there are other buildings in the area that have a similar or higher roof grade than what you are proposing,” Councilor Melissa Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski later called for Mayor Melinda E. Barrett to establish a design review board, to inform the council on what may work in a proposed development.
She added, “My intent is just that we have some type of body that we can call on to inform us on what might work, what might not work.”
Councilor Shaun P. Toohey echoed Lewandowski’s calls for a design review board.
Megan B. Shea, a member of the Universalist Unitarian Church, which abuts the proposed development, voiced approval for the updated project.
“This looks much better and much happier, not that I speak for the whole church but we’ll make sure they’re OK,” Shea said.
Councilor John A. Michitson thanked residents who participated in the hearing process, noting that “they’ve had an impact” on the proposal.
Councilor Devan M. Ferreira praised the new design, claiming the proposal is a “huge difference” from previous proposals.
“For being a ward councilor of a ward where sometimes it feels like larger housing units get approved, the designs don’t always look awesome, they’re slapped up and the people that approved them don’t live in that neighborhood,” she said. “You maybe drive by them and pass them every once in a while but it really impacts our neighborhoods.”
She added, “It impacts how everything feels, how it looks and impacts the pride in your community.”
The new design of the two-parcel proposal, cinched approval in a 10-1 vote. Councilor Katrina Hobbs-Everett cast the dissenting vote, citing concern for resident Shaquana Jackson, who recently reached an agreement with Tucci and developer Christos Eliopoulos to vacate the property on Aug. 31.
“I do think that this is a really good project for Haverhill,” she said. “I think Haverhill would benefit from this project,” Jackson said.
Jackson says if either her or the developer renege on their agreement to vacate, both parties could return to court.