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Board grants special permit for downtown day spa at 101–107 Central Street with condition on floor plan
Summary
The Zoning Board approved a special permit for CareSouth Mohawk Body Works Spa to operate a massage-therapy day spa at 101–107 Central Street, requiring the applicant to provide DPD an updated floor plan showing no more than three treatment rooms.
The Lowell Zoning Board of Appeals on March 24 voted to approve a special permit allowing CareSouth Mohawk Body Works Spa, Inc. to operate a massage-therapy day spa at 101–107 Central Street in the downtown mixed-use district. The permit was approved on the condition that the applicant submit an updated floor plan to the Department of Planning and Development showing no more than three massage/treatment rooms.
Attorney John Geary presented on behalf of the applicant and described the proposed business as a street-level commercial tenant in a mixed-use building with residential units above. He said the spa would operate by appointment seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., would employ about three people, and would not require new parking because downtown zoning expects use of municipal garages and on-street spaces.
Geary told the board the applicant revised the initial floor plan after staff raised concerns about a treatment room directly adjacent to the storefront window. The revised plan shows a reception/lobby area at the street frontage and three enclosed massage rooms behind it. Geary said the project management team and staff “seemed to be happy with the revisions.” He also noted the building owner plans exterior repairs and that any signage would be subject to the Historic Board and its administrator.
No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition during the hearing. Multiple board members, after reviewing the revised floor plan presented in the hearing, said the revisions alleviated privacy and design concerns. Member McCarthy asked that the applicant provide the revised plan to DPD; the board made that a condition of approval.
On a roll call, the board approved the special permit per Article 12.4 and related sections, with the condition that DPD receive the final floor plan showing up to three massage rooms. The applicant must pull any necessary building or fire permits if changes to the fire-protection system are needed.
