Trustees approve minor design adjustments for 405 Central Avenue project

Trustees voted to approve minor architectural adjustments to the Bloomfield Development planned unit development at 405 Central Avenue, allowing the project to move forward without additional board review.

Staff member Patrick (speaker 4) said the changes are limited: the building’s footprint, number of floors, unit count, parking and primary materials remain the same, while the developer altered window configurations (from 4-foot casement panels to three-part 3-foot casements), removed several closet and alley doors, reduced a shower window, and added a vestibule at the elevator to reduce weather and water intrusion. Developer Jim (speaker 8) told the board the changes stem from engineering, marketing and manufacturing constraints and that the overall exterior appearance remains substantially the same.

Several trustees said the adjustments appeared de minimis. Trustee Fowler (speaker 3) described the revisions as detail-level changes that do not alter the project’s overall scope, and Trustee Tom (speaker 10) and another trustee (speaker 9) urged not to delay construction by sending the package back to the architectural commission. Trustee Gallen (speaker 6) and others said they were sympathetic to preserving the review role of the architectural commission.

Trustee (speaker 9) moved to approve the submitted changes so the developer could proceed; the deputy clerk then called the roll and the chair declared the motion carried. The board did not condition the approval on additional modifications; staff said the architectural commission could be asked to review similar future adjustments if the board so directed.

The board’s action clears the developer to continue permitting and construction steps consistent with the approved planned unit development, subject to the village’s usual permitting process.