Swampscott board approves condo project

SWAMPSCOTT – The Zoning Board of Appeals approved an eight-unit condominium project for 100 Burrill Street. But the board continued its discussion until next month on The Concordia condominiums proposed to replace Cap’n Jacks Inn, seeking to ensure that any vote addressed all the criteria for the necessary permits.”My concern is doing a motion live that has so many conclusions [it must include] and criteria,” explained Zoning Board of Appeals member Peter Spellios Wednesday night as he flipped through legal documents provided by the Concordia’s development team.A development team including Bruce Paradise Construction and Parturk LLC and Architect Robert Zarelli of Marblehead, originally proposed replacing the three buildings on Humphrey Street that make up Cap’n Jack’s Inn with an approximately 33,000-square-foot building containing 16 condominium units.At the board’s June meeting, Zarelli presented revised plans that eliminated the proposal’s penthouse unit, reducing the proposal by 3,300 square feet and lowering the main roof line by seven feet. After comparing drawings of the proposed 16-unit and the proposed 15-unit building, a majority of the board members indicated they favored the “less massive” 15-unit design. They indicated that they would have no objection to a 16-unit building, however, if the final unit did not change the appearance of the 15-unit building.But, when nearing a vote, Chairman Marc Kornitsky requested additional time to ensure that any motion for a vote was appropriately crafted. He cited the complexity of the various variances and permits the project is seeking. He also noted that the project would “define this street and have a big impact on the town.”After the meeting, Concordia Developer Barry Turkanis said that the team would have liked an affirmative vote on Wednesday night but ultimately would prefer that the vote was crafted correctly. He also said he was unsure about whether the team could fit another unit into the designs for the 15-unit building.The approval for an eight-unit building on Burrill Street caused comparatively little discussion, although the board had requested several redesigns of the original proposal so that it better matched the Victorian architecture of the surrounding neighborhood.”You’ve taken a project that wouldn’t have passed to a project that will likely show up on your website as a building you’re proud to have designed,” Spellios said in approving the project.The board also continued a hearing on the Swampscott Yacht Club’s porch at the Fish House until next month.