Planning and Zoning Approves South Main Street 3-Family Plan

A historic home on South Main, near the intersection of Highland Avenue, will be demolished, according to plans approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission at their Wednesday meeting. The house is owned by Ted Charton, who owns and manages a large number of rental properties in the city. Charton said that the house is unsuitable for renovation, with very short ceilings, and two upper floors only accessible via ladders.



The house is on the Greater Middletown Preservation Trust's inventory of historical houses, it was built in 1870, at a time when South Main was not the major state thoroughfare it is today. It is adjacent to a state maintenance shed, and very close to South Main Street. The commonly used entrance, as well as the address, is on Highland Avenue, across the street from the Charton Apartments.

The Planning Office staff recommended to the Commissioners that they require Charton to submit his design for the new 3-family building to the Design Review and Preservation Board for approval, because the site is an important gateway into our city. Charton said he would have no objection to doing so.

The Commission voted unanimously to approve the project, provided that all of the staff recommendations were met.