of this project i've asked for a letter multiple occasions i have not received one our vice chair
has a couple of questions good afternoon counsel do you agree to weigh the reading of the refusal
or stipulate towards accuracy i do have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits
as needed to proceed with this case five days in advance of this hearing yes thank you council
please proceed all right so you'll see the front of this property on the front page of my
presentation materials we have been here before regarding this property at 3440 north 18th street
we have approval from the zba for four units unfortunately given the current market uh
conditions of rising interest rates and and and the construction costs they couldn't afford to
build it was too big so they have reduced the size of it but kept the four units um and so we're
seeking you know essentially re-approval of of this matter um there are 12 exhibits uh that are
my presentation materials we sent a notice to the community which included 96 affected properties
and we do have revised plans so if this board feels so inclined to grant the variance i would
ask with revised plans again we tried to we did meet with the community they were supportive of
this project just like they were supportive last time they understood that we just couldn't build
it you know based on the size of the building structure uh so again the one refusal we have
is the fact that this is an rsa 5 property um and we're seeking four units again this board
has granted four units in the past for this property um and um this is a rather large lot
is 2315 square feet again we try to get a letter from the community group for whatever reason we
have not received it but again as an officer of the court i will tell you that they i i heard them
vote uh in favor of this project and i believe there were two other affected rcos similar to my
project on north 23rd street um where they also voted the same way and and so alan this was
approved in 22 uh yes it's right here all right and then and then you just didn't get a chance to
build it we couldn't build it honestly it's just it was just too big it was just it just could we
could not get financing um and the numbers didn't like work so we're going to build it now yeah
yeah hopefully i mean they're paying me they're paying me twice for this so all right please
proceed uh so again not out of character anyway um just to go rehash the presentation from last
time but you'll see there are multiple instances on on uh 18th street where there's multifamily
uh which is consistent with what you're seeing here for multifamily for rsa5 properties actually
across the streets arm one as well and then photographs of the property you know front
and it's been vacant since you know 2008 you know you can see our plans and drawings we try
to mimic the architecture of the nearby property so this is a porch neighborhood so it's very
important to make sure that that's what we did here you know there's a cornice line that's
pronounced there's lentils for each of the windows and there's a flat building facade with you know
bricks what is different from this project is from the previous iteration is that it was important
for the community to see a way for light in there for the basement level uh so this isn't a rendering
of the what would the front and the back would be like um but it's fully glassed up on the lower
level where someone can actually have nice light in there and it's not window wells like again to
try to put as much light in there in the lower level and i think the community was very appreciative
of that but again the floor plans are pretty basic um you go you know front you know front porch
you have unit one which is a first floor and lower level unit number two is first floor in the rear
lower level unit numbers three and four you come from the second floor it's third floor second
floor and third floor by levels same thing front and rear but let's go back so the first time was
no basement living right there was no basement living but this is a different plan this is all
right yeah and i and i we we because we knew how the board reacted last time and by the way the
and i and i we we because we knew how the board reacted last time and by the way the community
community
reacted last time the community was the one who dictated that they wanted no basement living
you know as part of that plan that's why we you know we collaborated with christopher johnson the
architects representative of 24 7 design and we again just to highlight this it's a pronounced
almost lower level where there's a lot of light and air um down there and i think all right and
that's basically it um you know we can go through you know we have the deed we have everything else
but uh you know i'd be more than happy to take any questions from the board and so let me just
show so shows the all four units right i did show them could you do one more time okay sure
oh yeah yeah all right so again if you want if you go through the porch area yeah yeah you have
a vestibule area well not vestibule hallway right um and here's unit number one which is a two
bedroom one bath you have the first floor kitchen right and then living area and then you have
downstairs you have a bedroom and an office down there okay uh that's i would say unit one right
the front unit number two is in the rear again you have a open floor plan here with lower level
you have a bedroom and an office again these pronounced areas of instead of heavy window
wells you have a lot of light in there down there with basically a sliding glass door for both of
them instead of going to the first floor and lower level you go up the flight of steps to unit number
two uh which is in on the landing to left i mean excuse me unit number three and that is also two
bedrooms and that's two and a half baths and these are by levels going from the second floor okay to
the third floor and that's you know you know front and back why don't you bring a client on all right
so um there should be a brian wise in the virtual audience
they should be coming back in as a panel shortly thank you
is accepted invite to become panelists
good afternoon hi could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer and if you
would would you please turn on your uh video yes thank you uh brian b-r-i-a-n wise w-i-s-e
do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
yes i do please proceed counsel uh yes brian you heard everything i had to say today about
your zoning matter? Yes, I did. Is it true and correct? Yes, it is. And do you adopt as your
own testimony? Yes, I do. And then specifically, there was a long discussion at the community
meeting about the fact that there was a proviso for a lack of basement living for the original
project, and a discussion about how you modified your plans significantly to provide that light
in air in the front and in the back for units one and two is that correct correct and the community
has no objection to allowing this basement living uh for this project right no thank you all right
questions from the board yeah house um how large is the rear yard uh the rear yard is nine feet
and then do there's only that one i'm sorry i'm sorry it's not an IP that's the requirement
it's 40 feet 10 inches it's large who has access to the rear yard i believe that would be a site
plan um that's my fault if there was no site plan let me just take a look um i would and
brian correct me if i'm wrong that would only be the the rear unit on the first floor is that
correct yes that would be one f i'm sorry one r yes here it is i just glossed over it can you see
it i can increase oops and they're exiting through what is it the kitchen that's at the rear uh yes
i believe let me just take a look at the corresponding floor plans oops that's way small
all right let's go
let's see
okay and then
for the two
egress walkouts and for that
courtyard the light well
is there any sort of security
grading that's anticipated
to be covering the opening
yes a metal
railing around those
openings
things a railing around them or covering around it like on on grade level so so someone doesn't
obviously fall into it yeah okay yeah protection great yeah okay any other questions then yeah
okay any other questions then yeah one more the sound separation between the two units
one more the sound separation between
on every floor do you know if anything like what provisions have been included in the wall
so i would if christopher johnson from 24 7 design we can wait for chris to come on if he's on
Mr. Chair of Council, I do not say that name in a virtual audience.
Okay. So I will say this, that Mr. Wise is a very experienced
developer and builder of new construction, and
is very aware of the issues of
living in close proximity. Why don't we ask Mr. Wise the question?
I'm sorry, Chair. There's going to be a certain factor on insulation
between the floors. I just can't remember what the factor is, so I don't want to mislead you guys, but there is
of soundproof insulation that we usually
put in between those floors.
Do you know if what you're putting in is above code?
Oh, of course,
because it has to pass with the city.
Above code, not
meeting code. Oh, above, not at all. I'm sorry.
It should be at or above.
One I would suggest you do above, typically
bedrooms like this don't touch in
most buildings of this size and scale,
so it is a little dense
for typical
row house block.
So that was just one thing I'd like to add out. And then, Mr. Weiss, how many tenants are you sort of anticipating having in each unit?
No more, hopefully no more than two. I know that the third unit, fourth unit are two bedrooms apiece.
And then the first floor units are one bedroom.
Yep. OK. Other questions from the board?
I have a question. So the footprint, the original footprint that you showed us for the first time that was approved, that has been shortened, correct, on this time?
Significantly.
Okay. But the unit number has not been shortened?
No, it hasn't. I think there were larger units in the sense of more bedrooms for the units.
Okay. And the other question was, did we talk about the trash?
uh we would we would agree to a proviso for trash to be stored indoors i believe there's
accommodations for each of the units i have to take a closer look at the floor plans but typically
when we're working with mr wise and mr johnson's architecture firm we typically have trash closets
in the kitchen areas in each unit yeah okay other questions yes um in the last plan you had
no basement living no bathroom in the basement now you're gonna have basement living and
so why did it change i think the design was more appetizing to the community like it's the same
community um they even remember the project i mean this was when we were doing them during the
pandemic i think it was one of the first community meetings we had in person um during the pandemic
And we met many times. And I think the community was a little bit concerned about the living in the basement, given, you know, the degraded window wells. And here we made a significant effort to add a lot of light and air for those individuals. So it wasn't dark. And there was a there was an honest conversation during the community meeting about that, because we showed them the zoning permit. And, you know, it's the provisos on there. Just, again, the same presentation.
When I speak as well, Alan, it was also because the window wells were windows that people had to climb out of, whereas these are ones they can walk out of.
So that's why we revised it, which made it more convenient for people to get out.
So then what is the height, then, of this basement?
Or what do we...
I'm going to take a look.
Let me share my screen.
It could be nine feet, but you can check.
uh it is nine feet two inches based on this calculation five feet six inches and three feet
six inches right here so we're like three and a half feet out of the ground on the lower level
yeah okay all right thank you
okay all right thank you questions from our attorney
i just wanted to know mr chair we did receive one page of revised plans for this case i
didn't include that in your notes revised plans yes one page if the board decides the grant thank
you today's date may 14th actually i do have one more question for mr wise given that the
the rear yard is so big are you going to be doing maintenance on the rear yard or is that going to
be assessed to the tenant in that fourth unit well that the rear yard is going to be concrete so it's
not like it's going to have grass for um landscaping so it's going to be you know concrete
so it's very um effective economically for for them to maintain it got it okay and were there
any other RCOs present besides
Allegheny, Wes?
Nicetown, Tioga,
names escaping me, but he was there
and he was very vocal and
he's the individual who remembered
that we had like four community
meetings previously and about
the proviso previously about the
no basement. Yeah, that's what's concerned
to me that they provide no basement
living and then you shorten the building
and you still put basement living and still
number so um and i don't have we don't have a letter so my concern is that yeah i again i i
think i heard charles richardson before you know we've been trying to get a hold of of the rco
maybe he spoke to them about this project as well okay questions or comments from the virtual audience
yes chair i have a hand up from charles richardson i will promote them again
okay i'm back um i don't think you ever leave but that's besides the point
just for the record state your name charles richardson the office of councilwoman cindy
bass please uh yes sir uh same situation uh as with the last the uh the the um
Um, our CEO was not able to get the letter out to you guys.
And, uh, you know, they are, they are supportive, uh, with regard to that.
Now, Mr. Stevenson, who was with Tioga United also sent in, uh, a, uh, text to me as well.
And he said, I don't, I really don't like basement living for 3440.
But now let me ask a question.
Was there some kind of aspect with regard, and Alan, you can answer this,
whether there was some aspect of handicap because he said but if he did change the handicap
portion we can support now and i didn't hear any any uh statement made with regard to a
handicap portion of this or uh involvement with this project uh but you know he's still saying
he doesn't really like the basement living for 30 for 34 40 yeah all i can say is that we spoke
to to don at the meeting and he's he stated the same thing like i i typically don't like
basement living here he said i understood i don't know what that means um but he understood that we
you know that we couldn't do it because we have these bi-level uh units um it's just the economic
realities i mean you know if if we're forced to have no basement living here i just don't know
if this is a viable project um and you know that's for the board to charles the original uh