Northampton Borough Zoning Hearing Board has given its approval for the conversion of the former Catholic War Veterans Post 454 building at 14th and Washington streets into apartments.

Appearing at a Dec. 14, 2017, zoning board hearing, MGMI Holding Company representative Manny Makhoul and his attorney, Ronald Corkery, applied for a variance because the property does not have the number of parking spaces required by the borough’s zoning ordinance in an R-3 residential district.

Normally, when apartments are developed, two off-street parking spaces are required for each unit. Makhoul’s plans are to convert the building to eight studio apartments, but the building fills most of the lot, with room for only one handicapped parking space and a handicapped ramp at the rear.

Initially, in reviewing a preliminary drawing of the interior design, zoning board Solicitor John Obrecht questioned the square-footage requirements for the apartments, but Corkery said borough Zoning Officer Julianne Edelman told them everything was in order and only advertised the hearing for consideration of a parking variance.

Since Edelman was not present at the hearing, the board moved forward with a discussion of the parking issue.

As a social club, CWV had never had a parking lot. Last year, MGMI had applied for a parking variance to convert the building into a day care center and had received approval, but the day care operator decided not to move forward with the business.

Now, Makhoul testified he wants to create efficiency apartments averaging 500 square feet, each with an open living, sleeping and kitchen space and a private bathroom. He said he wants to market the apartments to military veterans who have limited means. Most won’t have cars, and he pointed out a nearby LANTA bus stop makes the location ideal.

Valerie Clinton, of the National Veterans Organization, assists veterans with housing and budgeting needs. She testified she has a long waiting list of veterans seeking inexpensive housing. Makhoul testified he plans to market apartments to her clients and will rent units at about $700 a month.

Corkery argued two spaces per apartment were not needed because, unlike most apartments, the renters here would not be couples with two vehicles.

“I could limit to one car per lease,” Makhoul said, but he doubted many would have one.

Corkery added there would be no other use for the building because of the lack of parking.

“You have a building that cannot comply with the parking requirement,” he said. “It has been vacant for years.”

Zoning board member Sylvia Wasko continued to express concern about availability of nearby on-street parking should building residents each own a car.

“You have to consider the impact on the neighborhood,” she said.

Northampton resident Ashleigh Strange, who lives in an efficiency apartment above Assante Restaurant, testified in support of the variance.

“We have a lot of buildings that are standing unused,” she said.

Northampton resident Jim Kuchark, who lives next door to the building, wanted assurance that only one person would move into each unit with one vehicle and encouraged zoning board members to make that a condition of the variance approval.

“I appreciate the effort to help veterans, but I am concerned with the amount of parking,” he said.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the board voted 4-1 to approve the variance, allowing the conversion to an eight-unit apartment building without on-site parking. Wasko cast the opposing vote.

Makhoul told The Press he must get approval from the borough on the details of the interior design before construction can begin.