The Roslyn Board of Trustees approved two mixed-use development proposals Tuesday night that will combine retail and housing with members expressing excitement for the development of vacant lots in the village.
A special-use permit was approved for one project at 12 Roosevelt Ave, where the owners plan to build a two-story building with retail space on the ground floor and two luxury two-bedroom apartments on the second floor.
“I think it’s a good area to build out,” Mayor John Durkin said. “It’s waiting for development.”
Each floor of the building will be approximately 4,635 square feet.
The variances requested for the development were previously approved by the village.
This included a parking variance, as it is only providing 10 spaces when 31 were required within the code. Handicapped parking spots will be offered and two parking spots will be reserved for the apartment tenants.
The building is 37 feet, two feet taller than permitted within the code. This was also approved through another variance granted by the village.
Kevin Dursunyan, the developer of the project, said he does not know what retail stores will occupy the building. Durkin asked that he seek out retail businesses that fit the character of the village.
“I like the project,” Durkin said. “The redevelopment of that area is really a critical part of the building out of the village itself. I’m very much in favor of this.”
A second special-use permit was granted for a proposed project at 1 Tower Place, which calls for retail space on the ground floor and residential units on the upper levels and below the first floor. The permit allows the residential density permitted to increase from 0.5 units to three.
The initial permit granted expired, and the developers were seeking a renewal with no changes to the project’s plans.
Trustee Craig Westergard thanked the developers for taking on this project, saying he never thought he would see the lot be developed.
“This has been a long time coming,” Westergard said.
The Village of Roslyn Board of Trustees will convene again at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21.
