Name: Uncertain future for Market and Main after apartments denied
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Uncertain future for Market and Main after apartments denied

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You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.The future of the Market and Main complex in Bedford is up in the air after town planners denied a site plan application for 200 apartments and a movie theater.“We’re disappointed by (Monday’s) vote by the Bedford Planning Board to deny the Market and Main development, and believe this is a lost opportunity for the community and a majority of residents who support it,” said Terry Robinson of Encore Retail LLC following the vote. “We are uncertain of the future of this $120 million mixed-use investment and the 1,700 jobs and over $1 million in new annual tax revenue that comes with it.”Planners cited several reasons for rejecting the second phase of the project, which included 200 luxury apartments that were not part of the original plans the town adopted about four years ago.Planning board member Priscilla Malcolm said she is not sure southern New Hampshire needs additional luxury housing, stressing the real need is for affordable housing.“I’m very disappointed” with the change, Malcolm said.Others, including board member Hal Newberry, said it is not in Bedford’s best interest to turn prime commercial space into prime residential space.Mac McMahon, another board member, said the majority of Bedford residents are opposed to the proposed apartments.He mentioned a previous petition with more than 1,000 signatures expressing opposition to the construction of any future apartments in town. McMahon also pointed to zoning changes made at the polls last year to limit the size and scope of multifamily developments and where they can be built in Bedford.Besides the apartments — 25 studio, 95 one-bedroom and 80 two-bedroom units — an 11-screen Regal cinema was also included in phase two of the development at the former Macy’s site along South River Road.To date, Trader Joe’s and The Friendly Toast have been constructed on the parcel as part of Market and Main’s first phase, along with more than $1 million in off-site improvements.Planning board chairman Jon Levenstein cast one of two votes in favor of a waiver that would have allowed multifamily residential use within the town’s Performance Zone.The Performance Zone — extending east of the Everett Turnpike and Route 101 from the Merrimack line through the South River Road commercial corridor to the Manchester line — was designed to allow for innovative uses and flexible development, according to Levenstein, who said voters also approved a master plan several years ago indicating this is the type of project that would be ideal for the site.Levenstein said he has a hard time believing apartments are not an appropriate use for the parcel, especially since waivers are regularly granted by the board. He said it would be a mistake to deny the site plan application, insisting a change in the market prompted the proposed apartments.Encore provided a list to town planners of more than 100 people who support the project.“We believe the chairman’s comments represent the sentiment of the community — that Market and Main is exactly what Bedford residents had voted for in the past and is a tax-positive development, as well as an ideal use for this parcel,” Robinson said.Charlie Fairman, another board member who voted in favor of the use variance, said that without development such as the Market and Main project, taxes will go up in Bedford.Planning board member Kelleigh Murphy said there have been credibility issues with the developer from the start, which she said she could not ignore while considering the application.Another board member, Steve Clough, said he doesn’t believe the project is innovative, maintaining that for every one person who supports the development, about 50 are opposed.Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.© Copyright 2022 , 100 William Loeb Drive Manchester, NH&nbsp;| &nbsp;|Powered by from .Sorry, an error occurred.You are logged in&nbsp;Sign up withThank you .Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.Check your email for details.Sign in withSubmitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.×Thank you.Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.Rate:Begins:Ends:Transaction ID:A receipt was sent to your email.This offer is currently unavailable.Close

You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.The future of the Market and Main complex in Bedford is up in the air after town planners denied a site plan application for 200 apartments and a movie theater.“We’re disappointed by (Monday’s) vote by the Bedford Planning Board to deny the Market and Main development, and believe this is a lost opportunity for the community and a majority of residents who support it,” said Terry Robinson of Encore Retail LLC following the vote. “We are uncertain of the future of this $120 million mixed-use investment and the 1,700...

Uncertain future for Market and Main after apartments denied

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