Downtown Condo/Restaurant Project Moves Ahead

The developers of a major commercial/residential project got the green light from the Planning Board for more time at City Hall on Thursday night.

Bill Bartell, a project architect with CJ Architects of Portsmouth, said Friday morning the board approved the request made by the developers of 233 Vaughn St., LLC, for a second one-year extension of Site Plan Approval. The Planning Board has previously granted the project an extension in 2010 and amended it in 2011. The city's Technical Advisory Committee endorsed this request earlier this summer.

Carla Goodknight, the principal architect for the project, previously said the  Planning Board's approval would allow the developers to move ahead with their project because they have the needed financing in place.

The project, known as 233 Vaughn St. calls for a four-story building that would include retail and residential space, according to the CJ Architects web site.

The new building would also include a built-in pool, green roof planting and a spectacular view of the city and the Piscataqua River, according to CJ Architects' web site. The building's design would also incorporate Geothermal energy and advanced building envelope technology to achieve a LEED Gold rating, according to the firm's web site.

According to CJ Architects web site, the project also calls for below-grade parking and an exterior dining plaza. If approved, the development would abut the proposed 111 Maplewood Avenue project that also calls for a mixed residential and commercial use. Both of these developments would also be located near Portwalk and the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel in what is known as the city's northern tier.