Saratoga Springs Design Review Commission to look at housing proposal

PHOTOGRAPHER: Lee Coleman

Plans for a six-building, 57-unit apartment complex on four acres near the corner of Seward and Morgan streets are being referred to the city’s Design Review Commission because of concerns about the proposal’s size and potential impact.

Gordon Development Co. of Albany is proposing the complex of two- and three-bedroom apartments in the city’s northwestern sector.

The city Planning Board reviewed the site plans last week. Several neighbors, some living in the nearby Birch Run development, told the board they were concerned about increased traffic from the apartments as well as the height of the buildings.

The project was earlier proposed as a senior citizen complex but the plans have been changed to traditional apartments, said Kate Maynard, the city’s principal planner.

Maynard said the Planning Board also has some concerns about the height of the two- and three-story buildings and the layout. This is the reason the board has referred the site plans to the city Design Review Commission for an advisory opinion about the project’s design and how it fits into the surrounding neighborhood.

The applicants have submitted a supplemental traffic study for the project done by traffic engineers Creighton Manning Engineering of Albany. The site plan work is being done by the LA Group of Saratoga Springs.

Neighbors said Seward Street is already a busy road. The apartments would have two access points, one onto Seward and one onto Morgan. Maynard said the city wants to make sure there is adequate sight distance for each access point. The board is also looking at on-street parking issues related to the apartments.

Maynard said the apartments would be built on a plateau that is somewhat higher than the surrounding land. This would make the apartment buildings seem even taller to people living in nearby single-family homes.

The Design Review Commission is expected to look at the Seward Street Apartments site plan within the next month and report back to the Planning Board with its opinion.