Albany, New York Development News

Hamilton Street Apartment Conversion Proposal Tabled Due to Variance Concerns

The Board of Zoning Appeals heard a public hearing regarding a proposal to convert office space to residential apartments across six buildings located at 295-307 Hamilton Street. The applicant, Arm Hamilton LLC, represented by Dan Wilson of Taylor Riley Wilson, is seeking multiple area variances, primarily for dwelling unit size and density, as the proposed units (ranging from 350 sq ft studios to 780 sq ft one-bedrooms) are significantly smaller than the required 750 sq ft per unit in the MU-7 district. The proposal includes 21 units: nine studios and twelve one-bedrooms. The project aims to preserve historic fabric and return buildings to their original townhouse appearance. Concerns were raised regarding the smallest unit sizes, the feasibility of alternatives, potential impact on neighborhood character, parking, snow removal, and traffic congestion. Staff recommended denying variances for 295, 297, and 299 Hamilton Street due to substantiality issues, while the applicant argued that alternative configurations like duplexes or single-unit conversions of these smaller buildings are not economically viable. The board decided to table the project to allow the applicant to provide additional information on alternatives, character of the neighborhood, and specific unit sizes.