Updated 9:45 pm
The developer behind the proposed building project at 4 State Road in Vineyard Haven, site of the former EduComp, scaled back the project’s density, but abutters are still concerned the project is out of scope for the area.
At a Martha’s Vineyard Commission meeting Thursday night, real estate developer Xerxes Agassi presented commissioners with updated plans for the project.
In addition to renovating the existing 7,920-square-foot building, the new plans reduced the total size of the project by 22 percent, and proposed constructing a 13,360-square-foot addition on the back of the building — a 3,440-square-foot decrease from the original proposal. The new plans also decrease the commercial units from seven to three, with no retail units, and the residential units from 15 to 14, including a loss of one of the two affordable units. Parking spaces would increase from 17 to 20.
In total, the new project calls for three office units, 14 residential units of 22 bedrooms, 21 parking spaces that include four garage spaces, with an entire square footage of 21,280. The renovated portion would have three floors and the addition would have four floors. The roof would have a garden terrace, and possibly a small pool and spa.
Agassi also offered to paint the additional portion of the building white instead of leaving it brick-colored.
As proposed, the EduComp project would become the second largest building in the downtown Vineyard Haven area, behind only the Mansion House.
As part of his presentation, Agassi showed commissioners a project he did on a former brick school building in Boston.
Agassi said he was disappointed with the little interaction he’s had with abutters, and said he was open to working with them, especially in terms of opening vehicle traffic in the back parking lot.
Joseph Grillo, an abutter to the project, said he’s been working with Agassi on an easement for vehicles in the parking lot connecting their properties, but the plans Agassi presented Thursday night were not the plans he worked on with Agassi.
“This plan pushes that road over very close to the building on 10 State Road. This also eliminates one or two of the parking spaces we currently use,” he said. “We do continue to talk, but this new road drive way in is a total blindside to me.”
Kristina Kinsman Maynard, who was given power of attorney for 5 Beach St. from her mother, said the former EduComp owners and her mother reached an informal agreement that tenants at 5 Beach St. could use the EduComp lot to get to their parking spots, while EduComp could use her mother’s property as an exit to Beach Street.
“We cannot agree that tripling the density of this lot will reduce traffic in the area or lessen the town’s parking shortage,” she said, reading from a statement. “Mr. Agassi’s development plan has retained the use of my mother’s property for his exit, while at the same time eliminating reasonable access to our parking spaces.”
Erik Hammarlund, whose law office abuts the EduComp building property, said the project would be more appropriate for Fall River or New Bedford. He also criticized the limited parking spots.
“There was a talk of how big a reduction he had. Obviously if you start with an enormous project which is oversized for the lot, you can reduce it and claim you reduced it,” he said. “It’s too big, it’s too large for the site.”
Jill Hansen, another abutter, also criticized Agassi’s parking plans.
“One parking space is nowhere near enough,” she said. “It will spill over into our lot.”
Following comments from the public, commission chair Joan Malkin said there were plenty of issues for Agassi to address, such as neighbor concerns and wastewater flow. Additionally, a site visit has yet to happen. The public hearing was continued to Dec. 2.
In other business, the commission voted to approve a public hearing for the existing New Lane Cell Tower in West Tisbury, which proposes to increase the tower’s height from 65 feet to 80 feet and add a new mount for antennas. The project would also add new equipment, a walk-in cabinet, and a diesel generator.
The project would co-locate new AT&T equipment to the tower site, providing service to the area.
The commission then voted to not hold a public hearing for the Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena cell tower. That project proposes to remove the existing 12 antennas and two radio units on the top of the cell tower, to replace them with nine antennas and one radio unit.
Corrected to state Kristina Kinsman Maynard is acting as agent with power of attorney over 5 Beach Street.
The “solution” is to eliminate one of the two affordable housing units? That alone would make me want to vote no on this.
In my opinion the only acceptable solution to Agassi‘s development plan is to renovate the original EDUCOMP building Period! Go to Nantucket with your fantastical plans!
Mr Agassi showed the Commissioners the building in “Boston”. Mr Agassi this is not Boston, this is Martha’s Vineyard. This is not Hartford, nor Providence, this is an island with limited resources. Your proposed building is too big! And don’t do the classic developers plan making it bigger with the understanding that it is going to be refused, so you’ll reduce the size as a compromise. Classic trick! If you cant make money with the property redesigned in a sustainable manner, work with the neighbors, other commissions and the MVC, don’t buy it.
Was the sewage problem even addressed?
I first read about this proposal after attending the Indigenous People’s Day event. The native Americans spoke of their great respect for nature and coexisting with nature. When I returned home, I read about Agassi’s complete disregard for nature and his outlandish proposal to build something which our sewers cannot handle!
A batter headline would be “Developer moves towards what he really wants”
It’s standard prectice, come in asking for 50% more than you really want, and as people freak out, gradually drop it down to the actual desired goal.
22 bedrooms and commercial spaces? That’s a total traffic nightmare. Just say no