New designs are unveiled for a proposed development of 40 to 48 housing units in multiple buildings at 361 Hanover St. in Portsmouth. (Photo courtesy of Haley Ward Inc., provided by City of Portsmouth)
A major housing development proposed for a historic neighborhood off Hanover Street received a key approval from the city’s Planning Board.
The board voted unanimously to approve the design review for the redevelopment project at 361 Hanover St., which calls for a combined 40 to 48 market-rate apartments in a renovated and expanded historic building, along with three new buildings.
The board approved the project’s design review despite continuing to hear opposition to the project from a group of neighbors in the tight-knit and congested historic neighborhood near downtown.
Many neighbors who spoke at the Thursday, April 17 meeting — or wrote to the board — raised concerns about how the development will impact traffic in their neighborhood.
The development team is aware of concerns raised by neighbors, but they “believe that all of that … can be thoroughly addressed” at the city’s Technical Advisory Committee review of the project, said Attorney John Bosen, who represents the owners and developers.
Rock Street resident Robin Husslage said one of her “main issues about the development is the traffic study, which is chock-full of errors.”
“It’s a tiny street, and cars have to squeeze by as is,” she told the board. “The bigger trucks, they come up on the sidewalk right next to my house to get by.”
Read the full story at Portsmouth Herald.
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