Neighbors Support Arcadia Street Townhouse Proposal

By Adam Swift

A change in proposed projects for 84 Arcadia St. has made a huge difference for the Oak Island neighborhood.

Last night, the City Council held a public hearing on a proposal for five townhouses of about 2,100 square feet each on the 17,000-square-foot property. A number of residents who live in the neighborhood said they were fully in support of the project proposed by local business owners John and Robert Nakashian.

Many of those same neighbors rallied vociferously against a 24-bed homeless care facility that was proposed by the Nakashians at the site earlier this year. The developers withdrew that proposal and came back with the townhouse proposal.

The project will still need to go before the council’s zoning subcommittee before coming back to the full council for a final vote on a special permit for the project.

“These townhouses are dimensionally compliant and meet parking requirements,” said Nancy O’Neil, the attorney for the developers. “These townhouses represent a significant improvement over the vacant, pre-existing, non-conforming three-family dwelling that is currently on the property, so that blighted building would be replaced with luxury townhomes that will be non-intrusive and will serve to beautify the neighborhood with new landscaping and plantings.”

Parking for the townhouses will be removed from the street and placed back on the property.

“This has been a very long process … five townhouses on Arcadia Street, but we all know that is not the real story is, so we don’t have to reiterate it,” said Arcadia Street resident Anthony Parziale. “I am massively in favor of this, I have never been more in favor of something in my entire life. The neighborhood is going to be great, it’s going to generate taxes, it’s going to clean up that lot.”

Zoning Board Chair Michael Tucker said he is in favor of the project, noting that before the homeless facility proposal, there was a proposal for six townhouses on the parcel.

“It is now reduced to five, the layout is great, the way they laid it out with the three and the two (townhouses in separate buildings), so I am totally in favor of this,” said Tucker.

Ward 5 Councilor John Powers noted that the original six townhouse proposal had some flooding issues. He added that there have been major infrastructure improvements to the area since that time.

Powers stated that he was against the homeless facility proposal on Arcadia Street, and facilitated a public meeting to help get more information out about the project.

“It’s no secret, obviously, with the residents from that area, this was a major issue a couple of months ago,” said Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti. “Let’s not forget that the developer also listened to the voices, which is great to see. It’s great that the voices of the residents of that area were heard, they were opposed to what was being presented, and with collaboration with the owners, along with the residents, and it worked out.”