Waterfront apartments design unveiled

DOVER — The city's Cocheco Waterfront Development Advisory Committee is scheduled Tuesday to discuss Phase 1 of the planned 23-acre waterfront project planned by developer Cathartes.

The meeting comes after the committee's subcommittee voted earlier this week to "recommend to the full committee that these plans be sent to the Technical Review Committee," City Planner Steve Bird said.

"As they've been doing all along, they've been bringing in updated plans at every meeting and showing them to subcommittee," Bird said about Cathartes' much-anticipated plans for the waterfront development. "The vote signifies that the subcommittee believes that they've made great progress on the plans and are ready to go to the next step."

Dana Lynch, the chair of the Cocheco Waterfront Development Advisory Committee, previously said the city's review of the plans "is a multi-step proposition and during the process we'll be seeing these plans again after they go to technical review committee."

Cathartes on Friday also released a new rendering of the planned mixed-use development.

The agreement between the city and Cathartes governs how 23 acres of what is now city-owned land near the intersection of Washington and River streets will be developed into residential, commercial and recreational space. The agreed upon purchase price for the property is $3.3 million.

Cathartes, according to the agreement with the city, will create approximately 500,000 square feet of mixed-use development, including 25,000 square feet of street-level commercial space for office, retail, restaurant and potentially hotel and/or banquet facilities. There also would be around 475 residential units and/or hotel rooms.

The proposed Phase I of the project includes two apartment buildings.

The waterfront development project also includes a large public park, plaza and a new public boat dock.

The site plan for Phase 1 "contains two proposed buildings with associated parking," one of which is a longer residential building that fronts River Street and a smaller residential building with commercial on the ground floor near Washington Street, Carla Goodknight, a member of the Cocheco Waterfront Development Advisory Committee, said recently.

The larger building includes a rooftop deck, she said.

One proposed building is four stories with 55 one- and two-bedroom apartments, while the other is five stories in the front grade and four stories in the rear with 110 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

In addition to the rooftop deck with river views, planned building amenities include a top floor club room, oversized fitness room, co-working space and a landscaped patio.

The main entrances to the apartments will be along River Street to improve the pedestrian experience, according to developers.

The committee is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall in the second floor conference room.