Stalled Condo Project Wins Reluctant OK

A condominium project that has been stalled since 1990 will finally move forward, the City Council has decided, even though some council members believe the housing plan is too dense.

The approval will allow Brandywine Development Co., an Orange-based firm, to build nine detached two-story condos on Wass Street near Newport Avenue. A similar proposal, for nine attached condos, was approved by the City Council in 1990. But the onset of the recession forced the owner to delay construction.

The 0.7-acre parcel recently was sold, officials said, and the new owner proposed a change that would separate the housing units and give each a small yard.

Some council members said that because the similar plan had been approved six years ago, they would reluctantly uphold it.

“This project would have been great if there were four or six houses,” Councilman Thomas R. Saltarelli said. “This is just too dense, and we get a lot of criticism for approving dense projects. We need to look more closely at these kind of things down the road.”

Councilman Michael J. Doyle said the homes, most of which will be priced at less than $200,000, will appeal to young families and first-time buyers.

“I agree it should be less dense,” he said. “But maybe those people don’t need a big backyard with room for a Great Dane and four children. It’s not the best I’d like to see, but it’s acceptable.”