CHICOPEE — During the City Council meeting on Sept. 17, the agenda featured three new special permit applications for additional housing and commercial spaces.
The first item featured a new special permit application for the purpose of approval for a mixed-use development including 600 new residential units and up to 400,000 square feet of commercial space within the former Cabotville Mill Complex.
The property is located at 165 Front St. and falls under the City’s Mill Conversion and Commercial Overlay District, which allows mixed uses.
The new proposal was submitted by 165 Front LLC, of New York City.
The City Council approved to refer the application to the Zoning Committee, Planning Department and Overlay District Review Committee for public hearing.
This is not the first time the former Cabotville Industrial Park has had a potential developer after the property was bought and put back up for a sale a couple of times after rehab plans fell through.
The 700,000-square-foot facility is spread across seven buildings along the Chicopee River with hopes of being a center piece of Chicopee’s downtown area.
The agenda also included another new special permit at 0 Main St. off Fiske Lane for the purpose of redeveloping a portion of the respective property.
This property is also located in the Mill Conversion and Commercial Overlay District.
The City Council approved to refer the application to the Zoning Committee, Planning Department and Overlay District Review Committee for public hearing.
David Spada is the applicant for the special permit. He is the developer for the River Mills Assisted Living at Chicopee Falls.
His intention is to build 61 apartments on the vacant property just a few blocks away with hopes of including storefront retail on the front of the property and tall residential buildings to offer a great view of Chicopee Falls and the river.
The application includes waivers requested for reduction in parking, building height, building permit and construction fees and EV parking spaces.
The third item was for a new special permit for the purpose of developing existing property for residential and commercial use at 232 Exchange St.
The proposed project includes the addition of 10 new apartments on the second level of the existing structure. Apartments consist of six one bedrooms, three two bedrooms and one studio unit.
The property owner and applicant is Albert Babadzhanov who is also requested waivers for a traffic impact study.
The application was referred to the Zoning Committee and Overlay District Review Committee for a public hearing.
The City Council did not discuss any of the three agenda items at the meeting, but Ward 4 City Councilor George Balakier said, “We’ll take this up in committee.”
