BRISTOL – By Carrier, the development firm planning to add retail space and apartments to Centre Square in downtown Bristol, offered updates to the Bristol Economic and Community Board of Commissioners.
Developer Gino Carrier and President of Development Planning Solutions Charles Talmadge presented information to the board Thursday evening. According to Bristol Economic and Community Development Director Justin Malley, the project comprises lots five, six, seven and eight of Centre Square. “Basically, the northern portion of the site,” he said.
“After the purchase and sale agreement were signed back in July, we’ve dived into full steam. When we had done the concept, we were anticipating 90 apartments and about 15,000 square feet of retail as a rough estimate of what we thought we would be able to do,” Talmadge said.
He said developers had a stronger grasp of what the project was going to look like now with 88 apartments slated for build, 49 of them having two bedrooms and two bath units, 20 units consisting of one bedroom and one bathroom and 15 of them having three bedrooms and two baths.
“Our commercial component has grown a bit,” he continued. “We thought we were doing 15,000 and now we’re just north of 17,000 square feet on the first floor of all three buildings.”
Talmadge said the project was working with around 300 associates and presented the graphic architecture in front of the board. He said the project may start at the corner of North Main and Hope Street before working north toward McDonald’s.
He said the buildings should look similar to other recent By Carrier build projects but that flat roofs and retail space was being designed to suit a more downtown atmosphere.
Developers are considering the addition of covered parking in the area in the form of car ports and potentially some fully enclosed garages.
“We’re shooting for at least one car per unit covered,” Talmadge said. “Our biggest challenge from an engineering standpoint right now is locating the North Creek Conduit (Pequabuck River) which runs along the entire frontage. Unfortunately the control points that tell us where that thing is have been lost to time over years.”
Talmadge said it was possible the city may see some digging in the area next week to test and see what’s in the ground in the area.
Project leaders said they didn’t think it would be a major challenge but they needed to determine the conduit’s location for purposes of zoning concerns and the need to maybe push the buildings back from the street a bit further.
Board members said this could work to the advantage of the project because it may create larger areas for outdoor eating space or green space between the buildings and street.
By Carrier is looking to begin building and breaking official ground for the project next year.
http://www.bristolpress.com/BP-Bristol+News/398138/development-firm-planning-to-add-retail-apartments-to-centre-square-offers-updates-on-downtown-bristol-project