Zoning Board Tables Stadium Building Variance

The Zoning Board of Appeals tabled a proposal to convert the Stadium Building at 329 Main St., located next door to the Stadium Theater, into condominiums Monday.

Before the project can begin, it needs waivers on parking restrictions, setbacks and on how far condos can be from their neighbors — in this case, the Stadium Theatre, the Woonsocket Call reports. The owner intends a $1.25 million project to convert the space into 21 condo units.

The matter was tabled with the request that the owner produce additional plans for the project. It will be considered again during the next ZBA meeting May 13.

Both Garret Mancieri, the Realtor handling the sale of the building from owner David W. Daniel to the developer, Leszek Przybylko, and City Economic Development Director Matt Wojcik, who wrote the City Council supporting the project, say the request for additional plans concerns elements of the project outside the ZBA's purview.

Mancieri said there was no indication before the meeting that the board needed anything further from the applicant. "We gave the zoning clerk plans for the 1st and 2nd floor with the understanding that the third floor and fourth floor were the same plans as the second," Mancieri said, "No board member contacted them or me with any concerns prior to the meeting."

"Richard Masse made the motion (to table the variance request) and he also wanted to know the square footage of the units, which is irrelevant to the application.  We only applied for parking and setback relief," Mancieri said. 

Wojcik said the Zoning Board appears to be blurring their job with that of that of the city's building inspector. He said a developer is unlikely to have full plans, which are an expensive investment, available before they've determined if a type of project will be allowed by law. "I'm a little bit unhappy that this blurring is occurring," Wojcik said.  

Zoning Board Chairman Alan Leclaire could not be reached for comment.

Mancieri invited anyone with questions about the project to call him at 401-651-1519.