The five-story building at the corner of 12th and Spruce streets will not be empty for much longer.
APM Realty has taken over control of the building from the Grand United Order of the Odd Fellows and plans to convert it to a hybrid of commercial and residential properties.
Steven Savitz, owner of APM, came before the zoning committee of the Washington Square West Civic Association Aug. 25 to detail his proposal for the creation of two commercial spaces and eight two-bedroom apartments in the building.
Savitz said Odd Fellows did not want to sell the building, but APM entered into a deal with the organization in which the real-estate company has control over the building and its renovations, while Odd Fellows “retains silent participation.”
The building has been empty for several months and seen a handful of tenants come and go over the past several years.
Judy Applebaum, president of the civic association, said the neighbors who attended this week’s meeting had a generally positive response to the plan, as they’re eager to see change come to 12th and Spruce.
“Everybody’s basically thrilled that this building is finally going to be rehabbed; it’s one of the worst corners in the neighborhood,” she said. “This building has been deteriorating to the point where it became a real safety concern for the few people who remained in it. And for passersby, it looked like an abandoned building, which contributed to the high number of prostitutes and the drug deals being made in front of the building.”
Savitz predicted the overhaul will have a beneficial effect on the entire neighborhood.
“This has been an eyesore and a problem for the neighborhood for years, and the development of this property is hopefully going to put an end to that corner being the bane of many people’s existence,” he said.
Applebaum said APM has already begun minor renovations, such as patching the roof, repairing windows and installing additional lighting.
Some guests at the zoning meeting were concerned about the impact of the construction on the neighborhood, but Savitz said he doesn’t think the project will have any measurable effect on either foot or street traffic.
APM needs to submit its proposal to the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, which will subsequently deny it, as the area is classified a C-1 zone, which only allows the building to have one storefront and one residential space above it. APM will then have to bring the ZBA refusal to the association’s zoning committee — which could happen as early as its next meeting, Sept. 22 — which will then make recommendations to the full board for the variances needed for the project. Once the board votes, APM will take the variances back to ZBA for approval.
Savitz hopes to have the permits secured by October and will immediately start construction. He anticipates the project will be complete by May or June.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].