Middletown ZBA approves flood-plain variance to reopen historic restaurant at 80 Harbor Drive

The Middletown Zoning Board of Appeals voted to approve variances needed for restoration work at 80 Harbor Drive, a roughly 100-year-old historic restaurant building located in the 100-year floodplain.

City economic and community development director Christine Marks told the board the project’s scope grew during renovation and exceeded 50% of the building’s value, triggering state and local floodplain review. “The city wished to bring it back online,” Marks said, calling the building a historic asset the city wanted preserved.

Engineering consultant John McGrane said the state building official has issued a modification to cover work performed but that the modification is conditioned on the ZBA granting the zoning variance. McGrane summarized the flood-mitigation measures the project has implemented, saying mechanical and electrical systems were elevated above the base flood elevation and that an operational flood contingency plan will be appended to the city’s emergency action plan. He said the building’s first-floor elevation is 11.8 feet, the second floor 21.6 feet, and the base flood elevation is 23 feet, underscoring why the building remains in the mapped flood hazard area even after mitigation.

McGrane described alternatives the project considered and rejected—lifting the building by roughly 15 feet, constructing hardened infrastructure such as a flood wall, and full dry or wet flood‑proofing—as infeasible or inconsistent with preserving the structure. “We feel [the mitigation measures and contingency plan] will help the city manage that building and prepare for flooding,” he said.

Board members who questioned the applicants sought clarity on the state modification and the flood contingency plan’s duties and triggers. The applicant said the plan designates personnel to monitor flood risk, remove unsecured items from the patio, and coordinate with Eversource on transformer/shutdown procedures.

A member of the public identified as Richard, speaking as a person who uses a wheelchair, urged approval because the project installed an ADA-compliant elevator that improves access to the second floor.

After deliberation—during which members cited preservation and accessibility benefits and agreed the cost and construction constraints made other floodproofing alternatives impractical—the board moved, seconded, and approved the variance request. The approval permits the city to complete the corrective permitting process with the state building official and proceed toward issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

The board’s action clears a major hurdle for the city project at 80 Harbor Drive; applicants said further details of the flood contingency plan will be finalized and appended to the municipal emergency plan.