Rendering of the Manchester House proposal at Lee’s and Howard Wharf.
The Newport Planning Board voted 6-0 on Aug. 3 to send a favorable recommendation to the Zoning Board of Review to allow construction of a 21-room hotel with a restaurant in a waterfront business zone at 24 Lee’s Wharf, also known as Howard Wharf.
The petition had been continued twice since June. The board is only making recommendations and an advisory opinion to the Zoning Board of Review. There were 23 virtual attendees at the hearing.
The vote passed after a more than three-hour hearing, with amendments to address the board’s concerns about the proliferation of hotels in the city, the failure to diversify certain aspects of the job market and economy, clear public ocean access beyond what the plan was detailing, and the daily use of non-vehicular transportation for employees and guests.
Board member Steve Berlucchi was concerned that the “whole harbor is basically building a wall around it and the public won’t be able to see the water.
“I don’t know what to do about that,” he said.
When asked by a resident if the property had been tested for toxic waste, Patricia Reynolds, director of planning and economic development, said site conditions and contamination will be dealt with before a building permit is issued.
The board asked about the impact on traffic, utilities, emergency management, health, safety and public welfare as outlined in the city’s comprehensive plan.
The Technical Review Committee already recommended the hotel plan for approval, subject to the applicant’s continued work with the Department of Utilities on a stormwater connection and public access.
The hearing was led by attorney David Martland, architect Daniel Herchenroether, traffic engineer Paul Bannon, real estate expert James Houle and engineer Lyn Small.
A June 1 staff report showed the project was consistent with the comprehensive plan. Presently, the site is a commercial parking facility.
A widened easement from three to eight feet to the Harbor Walk for public access to the water is a condition of plan approval, with possible expansion of the harbor wall.
“The applicant is looking to undertake a significant upgrade, make a major investment, all the while recognizing all the zoning requirements,” said Martland. “There are no variances. The applicant is taking great pains trying to present a building that the city can be proud of.”
Herchenroether said his design of the three-story building would add 7,800 square feet of green space, giving land back to the city to build a sidewalk, with 27 parking spaces under the proposed building, 21 for the hotelguests; three for hotel employees, three for restaurant employees. Outside an additional 11 spaces for the lounge and conference area, and 12 for the restaurant. It is estimated the hotel will have 18 employees.
The third story, he added, would go into the roofline. Herchenroether said it was 40 feet up from average grade to the top floor of the building, “which will have a residential scale and look.”
“It is going to be a very attractive use of this property,” Houle said. “It is much more attractive than having an empty parking lot where people hang around at night.”
Bannon testified that there are between 5,000 to 7,000 cars per day on Thames Street in summer, as well as it being a high pedestrian use area. He said research showed there would be “safe and adequate” access to the hotel because of more bikers and walkers.
Board member Jeff Brooks questioned traffic to the restaurant and the daily deliveries. Bannon said most traffic would be by foot, and delivery trucks would arrive in the morning, before the crowds.
“It’s a small hotel,” Bannon said. “You’ll see people walking around. You won’t see cars entering and exiting.”
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Howard's Wharf Hotel Gets Planning Board Approval - Newport This Week
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