6-story apartment building on Northampton Street given conditional OK in Easton
A new six-story apartment building with first-floor commercial space has conditional approval from Easton officials for construction at 533-35 Northampton St.
The city planning commission on Wednesday night backed the approval, contingent on meeting specified conditions, by a vote of 5-2.
Little Clove Realty LLC based in Manalapan, New Jersey, proposes the new building next to and partially attached to an existing five-story the company owns at 527-29 Northampton St. The Easton Fire Department’s Central Fire Station is directly west of the property.
The new and existing buildings will connect at the front, with an open-air corridor between them extending to the rear to allow for fire exits, said Little Clove principal Rich Capri.
Neighboring property owner Linda Coughlin said there’s not enough parking to begin with on the block.
“It’s just going to be a nightmare,” she said, noting she isn’t trying to discourage development but is wondering: “How are we going to do this?”
Planning Commissioner Hubert Etchison also wondered how the existing lot will serve the existing building and an entirely new building.
“It just feels magic to me,” he said.
The project still needs approval from the city’s zoning hearing board for access to the off-street parking off Church Street. The zoning board meets Nov. 21. Planning commissioners did not immediately resolve off-street parking requirements for the first-floor commercial space in the existing and new buildings, but an open-ended condition of approval requires the project to meet “all additional comments and concerns” of city officials.
The new building also must comply with Easton’s Local Historic District, requiring a certificate of appropriateness from the city council. Council in June rejected the certificate for what was then proposed as a 22-apartment building, based on the recommendation of the historic district commission.
Capri said he hopes to begin construction on what’s being called Capri Hilltop next spring, with the first tenants moving in during spring 2024.
Etchison and planning Commissioner Patti Bruno, attending her first meeting since being appointed, voted against the conditional approval, with Chairman Ken Greene voting for approval with Commissioners Kim Wagner, Frank Pintabone, William Heilman and Ron Shipman.
The planning commission separately on Wednesday night unanimously recommended zoning hearing board approval of beer sales at Supreme Mart, 2 S. 13th St., with a liquor license already secured from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, as well as a bed-and-breakfast use at 131 Cattell St.