PEABODY — The City Council approved a 12-unit residential building for an empty lot in downtown that will include two units of affordable housing.
The project will fill the former site of a tannery at 10-12 Munroe St. For years, potential developments for the location have been discussed by the city, including two large townhouses.
The council approved a special permit for the project in a 10-1 vote Thursday night. Ward 2 Councilor Pete McGinn voted in opposition, as he has “been consistently against residential development in the Zone AE floodplain,” he said.
To address flooding concerns, and to meet the area’s floodplain zoning requirements, the two floors of residential units will be elevated over a first-floor parking lot with 28 spaces that has a single driveway entrance off Hardy Street, site plans indicate.
The lot is being developed by Joseph Salvaggio, who was represented on Thursday by attorney Jack Keilty and the project’s designers.
Six two-bedroom condo units that are about 1,100 square feet each will take up the two top floors. The building will stand between 40-45 feet tall, about the tallest height of abutting buildings, developer representatives told the council Thursday.
The two lots making up the project cover 3.47 acres. They’re also across from two large residential buildings and next to smaller multifamily and single-family homes.
The project will also add sidewalks to the lot where none exist and remove a row of fencing and vegetation, though new trees and shrubs will be added.
The building will feature a mansard roof and other design elements that align with other homes in the neighborhood, developers said.
“The developer really worked with the neighborhood and really took their concerns into consideration,” Ward 3 Councilor Stephanie Peach said. “Most developers would not be coming to us looking to put 12 units someplace. I mean, right around the corner there’s an approved 40B project for 130-something units.”
The project was approved by the council with about a dozen conditions from the Conservation Commission and city’s health and building departments.
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com.