New plan pitched for 5-story hotel, Starbucks in Portsmouth at former Port Inn site

PORTSMOUTH — The owners of an existing 1957 motel off the Route 1 Bypass want to demolish the building and replace it with a new five-story hotel and a Starbucks restaurant.

Giri Portsmouth 505 Inc., the owner of the property at 505 Route 1 Bypass, is seeking to redevelop the site with a 115-room Cambria hotel, plus a Starbucks restaurant with a drive-thru, according to documents filed with the city.

They are seeking six variances to move the redevelopment project forward and are scheduled to appear before the city’s Board of Adjustment Tuesday night, according to city documents.

This will mark the second time the developers have tried to secure variances to move a hotel and Starbucks project forward.

The Board of Adjustment denied variance requests that were sought by Giri Portsmouth 505 Inc. in January on the initial proposed redevelopment project.

Existing Port Inn & Suites called 'severely outdated'

Portsmouth attorney John Bosen, who’s representing the developers, described the existing Port Inn & Suites – which has 57 rooms – as “severely outdated for the modern traveler.”

“This property has unique site constraints in that it is a corner lot bound by two streets to the front and Hodgson Brook to the rear,” Bosen said in documents filed with the city.

The redevelopment project, according to Bosen, “consists of the demolition of the existing motel and the construction of a five-story, 115-room hotel that will operate under the Cambria brand.”

Parking for hotel guests will be underneath the hotel, Bosen said.

Starbucks with drive-thru

“There will also be a one-story Starbucks restaurant with an accessory drive-thru,” he said. “The project will include associated site improvements such as parking, pedestrian access, utilities, stormwater management, lighting, and landscaping.”

Bosen explained too that the buildings and parking have been located on the site “such that all impervious surfaces will be removed within 25 feet of Hodgson Brook and all buildings will be removed within 50 feet of Hodgson Brook.”

He acknowledged that in addition to the variances, the project will need a conditional use permit (CUP) “from the Planning Board for a reduction in the parking requirement through use of a parking demand analysis.”

Developer will seek variance to reduce required parking

Under city zoning, the project will require 168 parking spaces, Bosen said.

But the developer’s “preliminary parking demand analysis” shows that “the average peak parking demand … is 106 spaces where 106 are provided,” Bosen said.

“This reduction in the parking required will not only eliminate unnecessary impervious surface but also will be beneficial for the implementation of buffer improvements along Hodgson Brook,” Bosen said in the application filed with the city.

He maintains the second version of the project will “enhance water quality with the addition of stormwater treatment practices that do not currently exist on the site.”

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Many variances will be needed

Developers need a considerable amount of zoning relief from the Board of Adjustment to move the project forward.

That includes a special exception for hotel use, a variance to allow 5 feet between the lot line and drive-thru and bypass lanes, where 30 feet is required for each. They also need a second variance to allow 18 feet between the menu and speaker board and the front lot line, where 50 feet is required, and a third variance to allow up to 60 feet in building height within 50 feet of the street right-of-way line, whereas up to 45 feet is permitted. The fourth variance is needed to allow up to 60 feet in building height, whereas 50 feet is permitted, according to city documents.

Developers are also seeking another variance “to allow a 30-foot setback for a small commercial building where a maximum of 20 feet is permitted and a variance to allow less than 75 percent front lot line buildout where a minimum of 75 percent is required for commercial buildings,” according to city documents.

But as Bosen points out, the project needed only two variances until “the applicant was made aware by city staff that the subject property was posted for a zoning district change from General Business to Gateway District just two days prior to our filing.”

That resulted in the need for four additional variances, he said.

Bosen points out that a motel has existed on the site off the Route 1 Bypass since 1957, “and is surrounded by other hotels and commercial uses.”

“The proposed hotel is also smaller than many of the neighboring hotels,” he said. “For instance, the Holiday Inn has 130 rooms, the Hampton Inn has 125 rooms, the Best Western Plus has 168 rooms and the Marriot Courtyard has 133 rooms.”

“This hotel is not a large hotel and will not cause any detriment to property values or change the essential characteristics of the neighborhood,” Bosen added.

He maintained that “a new, modern code-compliant hotel will improve the health, safety and welfare of the public.”

The property is located off the Route 1 Bypass near where it intersects with Coakley Road.

Tuesday’s Board of Adjustment meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in City Council Chambers in City Hall.

The initial project called for a 124-room hotel, with parking located along Coakley Road.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: New plan pitched for 5-story hotel, Starbucks in Portsmouth, NH