Careful observers of the OB development scene may have been wondering, ‘whatever happened to the commercial project coming in on Voltaire Street?’
It was a year ago almost exactly that the OB Planning Board’s Project Review Committee gave approval to a 2-story, mixed-use commercial project for 4870 Voltaire Street – which is the former Dover Plumbing property next to the Jim Bell property. Mark Brencick was the owner-developer. Brencick was going to demolish the former Dover building and the construct his 2-story, 7,430 square-foot, mixed-use building consisting of 2 for rent dwelling units and 2,380 square feet of commercial space. The dwelling units were designed to have 2 and 3 bedrooms.
Rear and side views of project.
We reported a year ago, “Brencick, a civil-engineer told the Board he plans to utilize the commercial space for his offices and rent one of the residential units to his daughter. The front of the building will be 16 feet high, and the unit above set back from the edge. One of the main issues was parking, and he explained he’s putting in 9 spaces, 5 commercial and 4 residential, by using a parking lift. The Board voted 6 to 0 to approve the project for the full Board (no date has been set).”
Unfortunately, Mark passed away on April 1 of this year and the project has stalled if it has not been outright deleted.
Project Review Com. members, from L to R: Virginia Wilson, Craig Klein, Kevin Hastings, Elizabeth Felando, Dan Dennison and Richard Merriman. Photo by Frank Gormlie
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is unfortunate to hear. The owner had planned to move his family and his architecture firm to the location. Would’ve made it one of the few businesses in OB to offer high paying jobs to professionals.
Affording mortgage or rent on a coffee barista salary is a bit unrealistic. Green advocates who oppose carbon emissions should also support more balanced (white-collar) job opportunities in this town.
Totally agree. It would be a great addition to OB to have more professionals living and working nearby.