Developers Intend to Buy Westport YMCA, Increase Building Size

Getting the site at 35 Church Street rezoned is a preliminary step before BSA can move forward with the Bedford Square Project. 

If the amendment passes, it doesn’t give BSA permission to build the anything, though, according to Planning and Zoning Director Larry Bradley.

The amendment would only allow BSA to rezone the 35 Church Lane property, which is 19,859 square feet and located to the immediate right of the YMCA.

“They want to increase what is on the property,” Bradley says, noting BSA has a contract to buy the YMCA. “They (BSA) have indicated their desire to build a building, but this application does not give them permission to do anything." 

If P&Z passes Amendment 639, 35 Church Lane will be rezoned from a restricted office retail district (RORD) to a business center district (BCD). The RORD district preserves smaller buildings and is designed to provide a barrier for residential areas around downtown.

Then BSA would have to work out a site plan and file for a special permit application, Bradley says.

“Their next step is to go through the zoning approval process. They would have to demonstrate whether they comply with the zoning, but it is too early to tell at this point, until they submit a site plan,” Bradley says.

Bradley indiacted BSA was vague with their building plans.

“It was a schematic plan; there were no site calculations. It was basically a couple of sketches, building elevations and some cross sections, but no real zoning data was provided,” Bradley says. 

P&Z will discuss BSA’ zoning proposal Thursday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.