Excelsior’s most anticipated development is one step closer to reality. After months of back-and-forth discussion and a previous denial, the partial demolition of the historic Dock Cinema was approved by the City Council in a 4-1 vote, with Council Member Jennifer Caron opposing, Aug. 17.A local developer, Mithun Companies has plans for a three-story, 107,700-square-foot mixed-use project at 10 Water Street. The plan includes 43 residential units, 5,600 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, and a partial renovation of th...
Excelsior’s most anticipated development is one step closer to reality. After months of back-and-forth discussion and a previous denial, the partial demolition of the historic Dock Cinema was approved by the City Council in a 4-1 vote, with Council Member Jennifer Caron opposing, Aug. 17.
A local developer, Mithun Companies has plans for a three-story, 107,700-square-foot mixed-use project at 10 Water Street. The plan includes 43 residential units, 5,600 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, and a partial renovation of the Dock Cinema building to preserve a community theater space.
The approval process was a long road. Mithun Companies' initial Site Alteration Permit (SAP) application was denied on March 2 by the city's Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC), which determined the applicant was requesting more than 30% demolition of the building; making it a full demolition based on city code. Mithun Companies returned with an altered SAP requesting to demolish 29.9% of the property, which is just under the city's 30% partial demolition threshold. After the HPC denied the revised application as well, Mithun Companies appealed to the City Council on July 20, where council members tabled the vote to review public comments.
When the matter returned for a final vote on Aug. 17, Council Member Caron remained steadfast in her opposition to the historic structure's removal arguing that partial demolition shouldn't be granted just to help a developer maximize land use.
"I cannot support this resolution for the reasons I've stated that these things have not been proven. In fact, they are disproven by the applicant's submittals and the eight-page resolution that the HPC forwarded. I think this is an action that the city will come to regret because it is precedential and unnecessary," Caron said.
However, Mithun Companies submitted findings from a structural engineering report on the property.
"The structural engineering report states that there's significant vertical cracking to the rear wall, there's foundation settlement, and the organic clay soil conditions and differential structure movement are impacting the rear of the building, so we can shore that up as part of this project. We can remove those areas of the building that are currently in structural distress. That's why we designated that portion of the building to remove, and we can eliminate ongoing deterioration risk by reinvesting in the structure through the approval of this alteration permit," said Megan Rogers, an attorney with Larkin Hoffman representing Mithun Companies.
Although the plan is to demolish 29.9% of the theater, Mithun Companies hopes to preserve the remaining space as a theater for future showings, holding onto the history of Excelsior's cinema.
With Council Members Tim Bildsoe, Chrystal O'Hanlon and Anne Vogel, along with Mayor Gary Ringate approving the partial demolition, Mithun Companies will now have to submit a final planned unit development (PUD) agreement to the council for consideration. The final PUD must be approved before any demolition or construction can take place, as the council voted to approve a resolution establishing that requirement alongside the permit approval.