2 New Restaurants Coming to Portsmouth?

The developers of an upscale residential apartment complex in the city's northern tier told city planners they would like to attract two restaurants.

James Pennington of R.J. Finlay and Co. in Nashua, the owner of the proposed 111 Maplewood Avenue project, told members of the city's Technical Advisory Committee, "We would love to attract two restaurants, but we don't know."

He and Patrick Crimmins, a senior engineer with Tighe and Bond of Portsmouth provided members of the Technical Advisory Committee an update of their proposed development. Pennington said he knows he has to gain the approval of the city's Planning Board and Historic District Commission over several meetings before they can even break ground.

This week, members of the city's Technical Advisory Committee questioned the developers about several issues, including trash management, sewer upgrade work that will be need to be done in the area of Vaughn and Green streets, and whether there will be enough parking for the first level businesses and the residents.

Pennington said the project calls for 105 parking spaces and 70 apartment units. He said it will feature new brick sidewalks and historic lighting on Maplewood Avenue as well as landscaping improvements.

Pennington told the TAC panel the apartment units would average about 900 square feet in size and have two bedrooms, but there would not be any assigned parking or a mechanized gate to enter and exit the parking lot.

"In the rear, we are proposing a trash management area," said Pennington.

He also said they want to create bicycle racks and bicycle storage areas for the apartment residents.

Pennington said the developers will contribute some money to help the city Public Works Department upgrade the sewer mains in the area on Vaughn Street and Green Street. He said the gates that will be created for the residential and commercial development will need to be approved by the Historic District Commission.

TAC member David DesFosses, a city public works project manager, said the trash management area and the lack of sufficient parking spaces is "absurd."

Pennington said they are actually adding parking spaces to the existing lot and the lot they will renovate. He also said the developers believe the parking spaces will be used at different times of the day by apartment residents and businesses in such a way that they will prove to be sufficient.

City Planning Director Rick Taintor told them they would have to create more space for Waste Management to remove trash from the bins area so the trash trucks would not be on the road.

said that the 111 Maplewood Avenue project will extend the downtown area and be a very sought after place where people will want to live and work.

"The views are just spectacular," she said. Apartment owners will be able to enjoy clear views of the North Mill Pond, the new Memorial Bridge, the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, the Piscataqua River and the downtown.

When asked what the project will add to downtown Portsmouth, DeStefano said it will redefine the city's northern tier neighborhood and apartment owners will be able to walk from their new homes to downtown much better than pedestrians are able to now.

"The energy from the downtown will be extended to that area," she said. The project will also improve the city's urban development.