Valley Indy Photo
The four-story building at 33 Main St. in a photo taken in 2014.
DERBY — The owner of a four-story building downtown wants to convert a majority of the building into apartments.
A public hearing on the plans is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 20 using Zoom.
The building at 33 Elizabeth St. — formerly home to United Illuminating and dubbed “Derby’s skyscraper” in 1930 by The Evening Sentinel when it housed Derby Gas & Electric — is owned by 33 Elizabeth St., LLC. The company’s principals are a man from Fairfield and another from Monroe, according to state business records.
The building has been used as offices, along with retail and other commercial uses.
Last month the LLC submitted an application to the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission seeking permission to develop 33 apartments in the existing building.
That’s 22 studio apartments, and 10 one-bedroom apartments.
The property has 36 off-street parking spaces, according to the statement of use posted on Derby’s city website. In addition, the city’s parking garage on Thompson Place is nearby.
The first floor of the building would remain mostly for commercial and/or retail uses, though a preliminary drawing shows four apartments on the first floor as well (along with 12 on the second floor, 10 on the third floor, and six apartments on the fourth floor).
The P&Z last month did not talk about the proposal. They just formally accepted it and scheduled a hearing.
The information needed to join the Zoom meeting July 20, along with the applicable documentation for the meeting, will be posted on the city’s website.
According to information sent by the town/city clerk, “comments from those unable to participate in the Zoom or by phone must be received by the Planning & Zoning Office at least twenty-four (24) hours beforehand. Comments can be submitted via email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)”
Here is the documentation that was available online as of July 14
The application for special exception use
In the larger picture, the proposal follows the continuing trend of downtown office space in Derby and Ansonia being converted into apartments as office leases are available along the Bridgeport Avenue corridor in Shelton.
