THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060356
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BATTINTO BATTS JR., STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 40 lines
A plan to bring a grocery store, an assisted-living center and condominiums to the old Churchland High School site won the approval of the Portsmouth Planning Commission on Tuesday.
The commission approved a zoning change for the property to allow mixed-use development. The 33-acre site had been zoned for commercial development.
In addition, the commission approved permits allowing Maryview Medical Center to construct the 77-unit assisted-living center on the property and for a developer to build 70 upscale condominiums on the site.
Hannaford Brothers has already received a permit from the city to construct a 50,000-square-foot grocery store on the property.
``This project is a big asset for the city of Portsmouth,'' Commissioner Jimmy Spruill said.
The project will go to the City Council next Tuesday for final approval.
The commissioners questioned plans by the developer of the condominiums, Century Mark Development of Virginia Beach, to use vinyl siding on the back of the structures.
The commissioners feared that the vinyl siding might affect the quality of the appearance of the condominiums.
As a condition for approval, officials with Century Mark agreed to submit plans for other materials to the city staff.
The $22 million project is expected to generate 240 jobs and at least $300,000 in additional tax revenue for the financially-strapped city.
This is the second time the commission has considered a plan to develop the site.
The commission approved a plan last year to build a 100,000-square-foot discount store on the site. But residents in the neighborhood complained the development would bring traffic and noise to their communities.
The plan collapsed after Caldor Corp., which was planning to develop the discount store, filed for bankruptcy in March. by CNB