ANDOVER — Potential retail options and use of commercial space are being considered for the proposed 432-unit mixed-use development at 100 Old River Road in front of the Planning Board.
The project has gone before the board twice since Feb. 24 as it considers a site plan review and special permit for the structure in the new Multifamily Overlay District at River Road. The project’s team updated the Planning Board on the building’s architectural design, landscaping and potential retail use during its Tuesday meeting.
The proposed mixed-use development is also before the Conservation Commission.
The applicant, JMC/SVP Old River Road, has proposed a five-story, 497,500-square-foot residential building with 432 units. The first floor would offer retail space with the remaining floors used for apartments of various sizes. An open-aired parking garage and surface parking is also proposed as part of the redevelopment.
The project, officially known as The Commons at River Road, would feature 15% of the residential units designated for affordable housing.
Consultant Ann Ehrhart, of Pittsfield-based Everstreet LLC, provided the board details about how the ground floor could be utilized with 2,950 square feet of retail space.
She was hired by the developers to study the space along Old River Road and come up with a retail strategy that would work for the development. The development team sees it as an evolving neighborhood, not just an exit off the highway, and plans to set a thoughtful tone for it.
With the mixed-use nature of the building, objectives are to activate the floor and river road neighborhood in a meaningful way to serve the surrounding community, future residents and hotel visitors. The goal is to also ensure long-term occupancy to safeguard against chronic vacancies and turnover, Ehrhart said.
Based on the square footage, one to three tenants would comfortably fit in the space to serve the morning commute, some daytime use and evening activities of the residents and hotel guests without overflooding the corridor with retail it wouldn’t be able to support, she said.
The area of Andover where The Commons is proposed has about 2,800 houses and various hotels.
Each tenant would get about 966 square footage each.
Ideas for potential businesses to fill the spaces include a personal service establishment, convenience store, limited-service restaurant, medical clinic, self-serve laundry or dry cleaning, indoor commercial recreation or a neighborhood co-working space.
Planning Board members were pleased to hear the focus on potential local businesses as tenants versus large chains. But the board also wanted to make sure the square footage would properly support tenants.
Some members also questioned if the proposed retail space still fit the spirit of the intended mixed-use development. Board member Rocky Leavitt said he wanted the commercial element of the project to be more proportional to what is being proposed, which checks boxes to get more residential density.
The Planning Board is expected to continue discussions on the project at its March 31 meeting.