Architect Steve Tinkleman, who with Poughkeepsie businessman Wayne Nussbickel proposed developing the Pelton Manor apartments on property at 36 North Clover St. in Poughkeepsie is asking the city’s Planning Board to reapprove the current amended site plan that was submitted by Pelton Partners LLC but has lapsed.
Tinkleman said there have been no changes made to the amended site plan application dated June 25, 2019, that called for 46 apartments. That plan had been submitted to the city’s Planning Department and received a Resolution of Conditional Amended Site Plan Approval.
The site plan calls for six buildings to be on the site, including the restored Hill House.
In 2015, the developers had reached an agreement with Poughkeepsie to purchase the 2.46-acre property at 36 North Clover that was the site of the historic Hill House, also known as the Pelton Mansion. The mansion was built in 1859 and is located in the city’s Mill Street-North Closer Street Historic District. The city’s Common Council in 2010 designated the property as a local landmark.
One of the approvals required for the development was a Certificate of Appropriateness from Poughkeepsie’s Historic District and Landmark Preservation Commission. The commission declined to issue the certificate. The developers appealed to the Common Council, the council backed the commission and the developers filed an Article 78 lawsuit.
In the application, Pelton Partners LLC proposes to restore the exterior of the Pelton Mansion structure in what it describes as an historically appropriate manner and utilize the space for additional apartment units. The Pelton Manor development includes a community garden. There’s a Carriage House that includes tenant parking. An area for limited public access for passive recreation consistent with private use of the property was proposed. In addition to the proposed development, Pelton Partners LLC proposed to donate money to the city for recreational purposes.
Amendments to the plans in 2018 increased the number of dwelling units from 39 to 44 while reducing the number of bedrooms in the project from 72 to 65. Other modifications included the addition of a gymnasium, 26 individual tenant storage facilities, bicycle storage, a dog wash within the Carriage House, and 800 square feet of meeting space for use by residents within the Pelton Mansion.
The Carriage House was to contain two of the proposed studio apartments and two of the proposed one-bedroom apartments. The entire project would have 46 apartments, with 14 studios, 19 one-bedroom units and 13 two-bedroom units..
On April 11, 2018, Poughkeepsie’s Zoning Board of Appeals issued variances required for the project including allowing 67 parking spaces instead of the required 70 spaces. On June 18, 2018, the Planning Board granted site plan approval. A traffic study indicated that traffic impacts from the proposed project would be minimal. It was anticipated that 28 trees, some of which are in poor condition, would be removed.
Hill House was built in 1859 by George and Charles Pelton and uses the Italianate architecture style known as “Italian Villa.” According to Pelton Partners LLC, the style was popularized in the U. S. by Alexander Jackson Davis in the 1840s as an alternative to Gothic or Greek revival styles. The Pelton Manson features six arched dormers on the top story of the building. A second story was added to the veranda 1916. A fire in 1979 required extensive repairs.
