Derby officials approved a controversial plan to convert office space into apartments Nov. 20.
The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the project after making slight adjustments to the plan proposed for the building that fronts 59 – 65 Elizabeth St. and backs 58 Minerva St.
The number of apartments was reduced from 14 to 12 and the number of parking spaces in an underground parking garage was reduced from 20 to 19.
The approval wasn’t a surprise — Dominick Thomas, the attorney for building owner Angelo Giordano, repeatedly said the proposal was allowed under Derby’s zoning regulations, a point not countered by anyone.
The opposition to the project included dentists Anita Dugatto, who runs her office in the building next to Giordano’s and has filed a civil lawsuit to stop the project, and Bruce Sofferman, who rents an office on Giordano’s first floor on the Elizabeth Street side of the building.
The commercial space on the first floor will remain as is — but the second floor above it, along with the rest of the building, will be converted into apartments.
Those who spoke in opposition to the two plan during two public hearings said that portion of Derby should be used for commercial space — not to increase apartments in an already high-density neighborhood.
Thomas and planning and zoning commissioner David Rogers pointed out Derby’s development plan calls for a mix of apartments and retail shops downtown.
Thomas said the apartments would be market rate and would attract young people looking for an affordable place to live close to public transportation.
While those in opposition last week debated the technical aspects of the proposal, the off-the-record concern was whether the apartments would further erode downtown Derby, which already has a large number of apartments — and not much of the economic rebirth promised by developers and their attorneys.
Sofferman said downtown Derby looks worse now than it did when he opened for business 30 years ago. He repeatedly said he loves the city and its people — but questioned whether officials planned properly.
“It’s a strange mix of very nice people — in a city that seems to be disappearing,” Sofferman said.
The apartments — studios to two-bedrooms — will range in size from about 600 square feet to 760 square feet.
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Giordano said he needed to convert the office space to apartments because he simply could not find any commercial tenants for it.
