The New Downtown project is finally set to commence and will be located on several Sparks Avenue lots across from the Mid-Island Stop & Shop. After three years of deliberation, the Historic District Commission and the Planning Board have given the developer their blessing, albeit with some conditions. The final approved plans are significantly scaled back from their initial iterations, and with some significant compromise, the parties have come to a meeting of the minds. This mixed-use building is one of the largest private, commercial structures to be permitted by the Planning Board, and it is slated to comprise a bowling alley, thirty-two apartments, and two restaurants.
The “New” Downtown of Nantucket
The development dubbed “The New Downtown,” finally received approval from the Historic District Commission (HDC) in August 2024, following the initial approval from The Planning Board in November 2023. The review and public hearings for this project began several years ago, with much controversy surrounding the project. The controversy stems from the blurred lines between what Island boards can and can’t demand of developers, which is blurred even further by personal opinion. This mixed-use building is also one of the largest private, commercial structures permitted by the Planning Board; unsurprisingly, the review and public hearings were extensive.
The project will be located on a 1.6-acre property across the street from the Mid-Island Stop & Shop, spanning from 18 to 26 Sparks Ave. According to Chris Fiumara, the developer, the lots should be cleared by the end of this year, and he is targeting to break ground in February 2025 with a project completion date slated for Fall 2026. The initial Planning Board approved plans called for one structure with 18,000 sq ft of ground cover; however, the HDC wanted to see two structures. Below is a summary of what was finally approved. These plans are a far cry from what was originally proposed over three years ago.
HDC Approved Plans
• Two buildings
• Main building footprint – 11,730 sq ft
• Eight-lane bowling alley and restaurant on first floor
• Apartments on the second and third floors
• Second building footprint – 5,530 sq ft
• Relocated Downeyflake restaurant and apartments on first floor
• Apartments on the second and third floors
There will be 32 apartments between the two buildings, consisting of 12, 3-bedroom apartments and 20, 1-bedroom apartments. They will all be rental units restricted to year-round Nantucket residents, with at least 25% of them designated affordable.
Additionally, there will be at least 85 on-site parking spaces, 11 more than required under the town’s zoning bylaw for the property.
The Planning Board implemented some conditions on the project in conjunction with their approval. Below are the conditions:
• That the applicant grant the town an easement along the entrance abutting 30 Sparks Avenue
• Applicant agrees to construct the sidewalk improvements along Sparks Ave at the developer’s expense
• Applicant agrees to contribute $10,000 to the Town of Nantucket to be used for area bike and pedestrian improvements
• A pre-construction meeting must take place with relevant Town staff prior to the commencement of construction
• Short-term rentals are strictly prohibited in any of the apartments
• Applicant and the Affordable Housing Trust, on behalf of the Select Board, reach an agreement on affordability and/or year-round restrictions prior to the issuance of a building permit.
There have been a few outspoken board members throughout the approval process, with the HDC and Planning Board not seeing eye to eye. The Planning Board has had to continuously defend its review process and ultimate approval of the development. They believed that the project was within the scope of what the town’s master plan had outlined for this particular district. According to one of the Planning Board members, property rights established by the town’s zoning bylaw dictate what can and cannot be built, not the opinions of board members. The board members are responsible for ensuring the project is suitable for the island and imposing conditions and revisions where possible. On the contrary, one of the HDC members thinks that the development of Nantucket has become a runaway train. She believes these developers have rights as property owners but also have obligations to build what is appropriate for Nantucket.