The Narragansett Times: Narragansett Planning Board denies Boon Street proposal
By PHILIP COZZOLINO Mar 31, 2018 0
NARRAGANSETT - At its Wednesday meeting, which marked the third and final public hearing on a master plan proposal for an adaptive reuse of the former Presbyterian Church located at 114 Boon Street, the Narragansett Planning Board elected to deny the proposal to recreate and repurpose the church as a residential building in a 3-2 split vote. The consensus among dissenting members was the four-unit, 12-bedroom proposal for the approximately 17,500 square foot lot was too dense, while others believed the historic component of the project allowed a basis for approval, despite the density issues.
114 Boon Street, a former Presbyterian Church erected in 1881, has sat largely idle for the better part of five decades, ceasing its role as a place of worship in the early 20th century. Since, the building has been subject to hurricane forces and fires, leaving it run down and undeveloped. Applicant Craig Miller, represented by attorney John Kenyon, had proposed what he called an “adaptive reuse” of the property (including reconstruction of its bell tower), which sits in an R-10 zone, to recreate the look of the former church and add a second and third story for residential use. Miller and Kenyon first brought the idea to the planning board for approval in January, and the body has been debating the proposal ever since. Members of the public have also weighed in on the topic, and consensus seems to be overall approval of the aesthetic of the proposal's design, while acknowledging the density issues.
NARRAGANSETT - At its Wednesday meeting, which marked the third and final public hearing on a master plan proposal for an adaptive reuse of the former Presbyterian Church located at 114 Boon Street, the Narragansett Planning Board elected to deny the proposal to recreate and repurpose the church as a residential building in a 3-2 split vote. The consensus among dissenting members was the four-unit, 12-bedroom proposal for the approximately 17,500 square foot lot was too dense, while others believed the historic component of the project allowed a basis for approval, despite the density issues.
114 Boon Street, a former Presbyterian Church erected in 1881, has sat largely idle for the better part of five decades, ceasing its role as a place of worship in the early 20th century. Since, the building has been subject to hurricane forces and fires, leaving it run down and undeveloped. Applicant Craig Miller, represented by attorney John Kenyon, had proposed what he called an “adaptive reuse” of the property (including reconstruction of its bell tower), which sits in an R-10 zone, to recreate the look of the former church and add a second and third story for residential use. Miller and Kenyon first brought the idea to the planning board for approval in January, and the body has been debating the proposal ever since. Members of the public have also weighed in on the topic, and consensus seems to be overall approval of the aesthetic of the proposal's design, while acknowledging the density issues.
Courtesy of The Narragansett Times
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