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Commission recommends approval of use variance to convert vacant nursing home at 60 Crouch Ave to 45 one-bedroom apartments
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Summary
The Commission on the City Plan gave a favorable referral to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a use variance to convert the vacant former nursing home at 60 Crouch Avenue into 45 one-bedroom apartments, noting the city’s special-act charter exempts it from Connecticut General Statute 8-2r.
The Norwich Commission on the City Plan on Sept. 16 voted to give the Zoning Board of Appeals a favorable recommendation on a use-variance application to convert the vacant former licensed nursing home at 60 Crouch Avenue into a 45-unit one-bedroom multifamily building.
Richard Shook, the zoning enforcement officer, submitted a staff referral explaining that public act 24-143 (codified at Connecticut General Statutes §8-2r) streamlines conversions of vacant licensed nursing homes in many municipalities, but Norwich operates under a special-act charter and is therefore not required to follow that statute. The applicant has volunteered to adhere to the multifamily (MF) district standards should the variance be granted.
Shook’s memo noted the proposed reuse involves no substantial building expansion, would provide 45 one-bedroom units and exceed the multifamily-zone minimum parking requirement (34 spaces required; 53 provided). Staff recommended that, if the ZBA grants the variance, the project proceed to site-plan review under the MF standards the applicant has offered.
Commissioners moved and seconded a positive referral to the ZBA. Commissioner comments and staff memos recognized the project as an adaptive reuse of a long-vacant institutional structure and recommended site-plan review under multifamily standards if the variance is approved. Attorney William Sweeney, representing the applicant, was present online and said the client is “excited to move forward.”
The favorable referral does not change the zoning map or make multifamily use lawful in R-20 by right; it forwards a recommendation to the ZBA, which will consider the variance application and any related site-plan review if the variance is granted.
