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Zoning OKs renovation of fourth building of former garment factory
The Commonwealth Zoning Board has approved the request of a company to renovate the fourth building of a defunct garment factory in Tanapag to complete a $550,000 housing project.
At a public hearing last week, Zoning Board member Bruce Bateman moved to approve Castle Projects (CNMI) LLC’s application for a conditional use permit to allow the rehabilitation of the fourth building of the former Top Fashion.
Bateman said on inadequate parking space concerns, the developer has assured that residents at the renovated buildings are going to be bused out.
Board members Joe Ayuyu Jr. and Herman Sablan also voted to approve the application.
Before the board discussed the application, attorney Michael Dotts, counsel for Castle Projects, said nothing has changed with the project save for the construction of an additional 32 rooms.
Dotts said the developer is not adding parking spaces because there is a bus service to bring the occupants back and forth to work.
Dotts said the company will stay with the same number of parking spaces that was previously approved by the board.
Zoning Board administrator Therese Ogumoro said the last time the board approved the developer’s application was for 56 parking spaces.
After making a computation as to the required number of parking spaces, Ayuyu said it looks like that the variance can be granted by the administrator.
Bateman then moved to approve the application.
At Building B, Castle Projects will renovate the structure for a total of 32 units, including “supervisor units,” with communal bathrooms.
Castle Projects first renovated Building D, then C, and just completed A last December.
With a site area of 15,000 square meters along Chalan Pale Arnold, Castle Project’s renovation and restoration of the four buildings to create 136 housing units have an estimated budget of $550,000.
One of the three renovated buildings has already been occupied by construction workers for Best Sunshine International, Ltd.’s casino project in Garapan.
