ALLENTOWN, Pa. — An Allentown developer must find more parking for his planned apartment complex or slash the number of units inside, city zoning officials said Monday.
Allentown Zoning Hearing Board approved a minor variance for a project to convert a former industrial building at 1010 Walnut St. into housing, but shot down a request to offer residents less parking than required by city ordinances.
SAXA Homes LLC wants to put 31 apartments into the four-story building, with 23 parking spaces inside the building and 15 around it.
“Adding 31 apartments without sufficient parking is only going to exacerbate the parking situation and congestion in the neighborhood."Scott Unger, Allentown Zoning Hearing Board member
But that falls about 20% short of the 47 required in a neighborhood where parking already is at a premium, according to local residents.
That’s “too much [parking] to add at public expense for private property,” zoning board member Alan Salinger said.
His colleague Scott Unger agreed.
“Adding 31 apartments without sufficient parking is only going to exacerbate the parking situation and congestion in the neighborhood,” Unger said before the board unanimously denied the developer relief from parking requirements.
The board also on Monday approved a 312-unit self-storage facility at 615-621 N. New St. after the developer scaled back the proposal from 425 units.
'It means freedom, independence’
But the night’s third hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes, broke the monotony of another routine zoning meeting.
The board unanimously approved a request from Maximillian Vasquez to convert a former dance studio at 1402 Linden St. into his personal office and recording studio.
Vasquez told zoning officials he provides mostly virtual guitar lessons while doing production work for clients.
“Ninety percent of the work I do, I’m by myself with my headphones on,” Vasquez said.
"It's awesome. It means freedom, independence. It means motivation; waking up, being excited about something ... This is giving me a reason to get up.”Maximillian Vasquez, music production professional
But zoning officials asked him a series of questions as they tried to determine exactly how he plans to operate his studio.
“If my quartet shows up tomorrow, with four tubas, is that going to happen? Are you going to record us?” Salinger said.
“I don’t really have the means to record a full orchestra or a full jazz band,” Vasquez said. He said most of his work with clients in the studio would be limited.
Vasquez told LehighValleyNews.com after the meeting that he’s “mad excited” to move out of his home studio to a new space.
Vasquez said he plans to call the property management company Tuesday with hopes of moving into his new studio by the end of March.
Having a new studio is “awesome,” Vasquez said.
“It means freedom, independence," he said. "It means motivation; waking up, being excited about something. This is giving me a reason to get up.
“I don't know if you ever worked from home before ... but if you’re still in your PJs, and you’re just there, you don't feel as productive as you do when you’ve got to get up, leave somewhere, [and] actually dedicate time to" something), he said.
