A plan to add 18 apartments to the Canandaigua Garden Apartments complex on Bristol Street was tabled by the city’s Planning Commission on October 8 following strong opposition from neighbors and concerns among several commissioners about the project’s size and compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.
The proposal from Hunt Engineers and Canandaigua Garden Apartments called for a two-story, 9,600-square-foot structure containing 18 units, with supporting parking and site improvements. The project was reduced from 20 units after earlier feedback from the board but remained the subject of extensive discussion during the public hearing.
Several residents of Bristol Street and nearby properties objected to the scale and placement of the building, saying it would sit closer to the street than neighboring homes, remove mature trees, and diminish privacy for nearby property owners. Others cited drainage and traffic concerns, describing existing water flow problems on the hillside and noting heavy vehicle use tied to nearby hospital and residential traffic.
One resident described the design as “out of character” with the historic streetscape, while another said it would replace a green space used by tenants and walkers with “a large wall of apartments.”
Commission members voiced similar reservations. Chair James Hitchcock and others said the building’s scale, massing, and architectural style were inconsistent with the surrounding single-family homes. Member Tony Fratto said the structure “looks like a battleship coming out of the property,” while others urged the developer to increase setbacks and add landscaping.
The applicant, architect Mike Trepanovsky, said the design team had already reduced the unit count and adjusted the roofline, but further reductions could affect the project’s feasibility. He said the developers were willing to eliminate balconies and consider additional screening.
After discussion, the commission voted unanimously to table the application. Members directed the applicant to revisit the building’s height, footprint, and placement, and to return with revised plans that better reflect the street’s character.
What else happened at the meeting?
The commission approved an 18,300-square-foot Finger Lakes Dental office building at 196 Parrish Street after determining it would have minimal environmental impact. A 15-acre parcel on North Street was subdivided to allow donation of nearly nine acres to the city for a stormwater basin project aimed at reducing flooding in the Sucker Brook watershed. Commissioners also approved replacement of several windows at 60 Gibson Street within the city’s historic district.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].