Nejaime’s looks to expand

LENOX – The historic district commission (HDC) will have another potentially continuous issue to discuss.

Nejaime’s Wine Cellars, located in the Village Center in downtown Lenox, will be requesting to make an addition to their property.

Plans drawn by Barry Architects of Pittsfield call for a one-story, 1,880-square-foot addition to the east side of the existing building that houses Nejaime’s, which is currently 3,024 square feet.

The project will reconfigure some parking spots to keep the required number for zoning but the project will cut the total number of number of spaces from 62 to 60 in the Village Center.

The project will be presented to the HDC at a hearing Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 5:30 p.m., in town hall.

Attorney Philip F. Heller, of Heller and Robbins, will be representing Nejaime’s on the project and feels that the project should ease through the process.

“We’re not dealing with an addition to a historic building, this building was just Bull’s Garage,” said Mr. Heller. “And that is not a historic building and this development is only from the ’60s.”

Some projects before the HDC have been held up recently over issues of appearance and keeping a uniform look throughout buildings in the district.

“We are going to keep the same design of siding and the brick trim,” said Mr. Heller. “Everything will stay consistent.”

If the HDC gives its approval to the project, the proposal would go to the town’s zoning board for a special permit.

Mr. Heller also feels the project should do well before he zoning board, noting that the building is in a 75 percent density zone, a number they will still be well below.

He also believes that the town will embrace adding to the business base in the town.

“This is a local owner that wants to expand his business,” said Mr. Heller. “And in Lenox there is so little commercially-zoned property this kind of project should get widespread support for all officials.”

Nejaime’s is currently in a long-term lease with PVI Lenox Village LLC, which was purchased by Drew Davis in 2011 for $1.7 million.

Mr. Davis has looked to improve the lot since his purchase, including recent renovations to the other building on the lot which houses the Lenox Post Office and several other businesses and offices.

Those improvements were a new roof and several other “green” enhancements.

Posted by Kameron Z. Spaulding on September 27, 2012. Filed under Community News,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry