This story by Jason Starr was first published by the Williston Observer on Dec. 21.
At six stories and nearly 90 feet, a building proposed for a parcel just south of the intersection of Route 2 and 2A in Taft Corners would be the tallest structure in Williston — the first mixed-use building reviewed under new zoning regulations approved by the selectboard earlier this year.
Property owner Jeff Mongeon said the 59 apartments will loosen the area’s housing market and help growing businesses like his attract and retain employees. Mongeon is founder and owner of Polly insurance agency, located in an existing three-story building on an abutting parcel.
“This is meant to be workforce housing,” he said. “We have some really thriving companies that are either in, or right around, Williston that are growing rapidly, and there is a need for housing for people who we are trying to get to move here.”
The building is designed with studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, underground parking, street level commercial space and a gym for residents. Twelve of the apartments will be rent restricted as affordable for people making 80 percent of the area median income. The building is sited in front of the building where Polly moved its headquarters in 2019, along Route 2A.
TD Bank currently runs a branch in the Polly building but is planning to move into the new building with a drive-through teller window, Mongeon said. A total of 10,300 square feet of commercial space will be built on the ground level.
“We’ll be looking to fill the commercial space with hopefully some businesses that are complementary to both Polly as a business and the residences above — things that make living more comfortable, more walkable and more community-based,” Mongeon said.
A native of Colchester, Mongeon participated in some of the public meetings that the planning commission held while developing the new zoning regulations — a “form-based code” that prescribes the look, size, materials and orientation of buildings in Taft Corners.
Mongeon is a proponent of the new regulations but said they are “hard to comply with. There are a lot of different things you have to account for in your design.”
The new regulations allow development applications to bypass the citizen-comprised Development Review Board and instead seek approval from town planning staff.
Town staff reviewed the application during a meeting last week. Some residents spoke out at the meeting against the building’s height, echoing concerns expressed during the drafting of the new regulations. Resident Peter Brooks said during the meeting that the proposed building is a departure from surrounding building heights, would be imposing and change the feel of the area, according to meeting minutes.
Town Planner Matt Boulanger said he is working this week to finalize a “certificate of conformity” determination that would green-light a groundbreaking. The building is designed by Wiemann Lamphere Architects of South Burlington.
“(It) is kind of the beginning of what everybody in Williston wants,” Mongeon said, “which is a really thriving, walkable commercial-residential area in Taft Corners. I think this is a great first step and we’re committed to building a really nice place.”
