Published in the July 9, 2021 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — Property owner Ralph Penney will be able to go forward with his plans to rehab the building at 13-15 Albion St. after the Zoning Board of Appeals granted the necessary relief.  The ground floor commercial use will continue while the currently vacant second and third floors will be turned into into apartment units. 

Representing Penney, attorney Brian McGrail pointed out that the property is entirely within the business zoning district. He noted that Penney, an environmental engineer, acquired the building in 2016. The property, many years ago the home of Savage Cleaners, had significant contamination issues, McGrail observed. He said that his client has worked with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to clean up the contamination.

McGrail reminded the ZBA that Penney had previously, on his own, applied for two variances. But once McGrail was brought in, he determined that the variances were not necessary and there was a better legal route to achieving Penny’s goals for the property.

Those goals include converting the current upper-level office space into rental apartments while retaining the ground floor commercial space. Currently the Town Cobbler and a real estate agency occupy the ground floor.

McGrail noted that the second and third floor were once office spaces but have been vacant since 2013. Penney has been unsuccessful in his attempts to find office tenants for the upper floors in a building without elevator access, McGrail said.

McGrail said that he discovered in the town’s Zoning Bylaws a way for Penney to accomplish his goals. Chapter 190-13 allows the combination of residential and commercial use by right in an existing building, McGrail said. He said that he had checked with Town Counsel Thomas Mullen who confirmed that the path was both legal and feasible.

McGrail said that he was asking on behalf of his client for a finding that continuing the existing nonconformity in a mixed-use (commercial and residential) would not be substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood than the current nonconforming use. In fact, he maintained that adding occupancy to the vacant space would be an improvement and help preserve the building.

McGrail also asked for relief from the requirements for off-street parking, noting that the building occupies the virtually the entire footprint of the property. McGrail suggested that the location in the heart of the downtown would be very attractive and potential renters will know going in that there is no off-street parking. Penny said that he planned to market the apartments to young professionals or senior citizens without cars.

No alterations will be made to the exterior of the 1884 building, but Penny said that he does plan to rehab and clean up the façade, including the antique copper clad bay windows on the upper levels. The ground-floor commercial exteriors will also get a facelift, Penny said.

The ZBA voted unanimously to grant the requested relief that will allow the project to move forward.