Albion approves special use permit for Clover Hill to become apartments

Village still needs to OK final site plan for project creating 18 apartments

Photos by Tom Rivers: Bilal Huzair of Carlton, CEO of Buildmore Corporation, discusses a plan to turn the former Clover Hill Adult Residence into 18 one-bedroom apartments. Jeff Palumbo, an attorney, is in back. Huzair’s company would do the interior construction for the project if it moves forward.

ALBION – The Village of Albion Planning Board on Thursday approved a special use permit to turn the former Clover Hill Adult Residence into a multi-family dwelling.

Clover Hill was an assisted living site at 355 South Main St. It closed in March 2022.

Realtegic LP in Amherst is seeking to acquire the site and turn it into 18 one-bedroom apartments that would also include a bathroom and kitchen. Ravi Prasher is president of Realtegic.

The project still needs a site plan review before going forward.

Bilal Huzair of Carlton and his company, Buildmore Corporation, would do the interior construction. Huzair spoke during a public hearing on Thursday about the special use permit. He was joined by attorney Jeff Palumbo.

The Clover Hill assisted living site at 355 South Main St. closed in March 2022.

They said they were holding off on the site plan until first hearing whether the special use permit would be approved. Now that Realtegic has that permit, the business will have an architect work on the renderings for how the building will be transformed into the one-bedroom apartments.

Huzair said they will be rented for $1,500 a month and that is all inclusive with utilities.

The apartments aren’t exclusively for senior citizens, but Huzair said he expects seniors seeking to downsize will pursue the apartments, which will also appeal to younger adults and couples.

Some of the nearby residents voiced their displeasure during a public hearing that the site would turn into a muti-family dwelling.

“We don’t want high-density living right there,” said Diana Reed, who owns the house next door.

She said the change to apartments would have a bigger impact on the neighborhood than when it was assisted living. She said there would be more traffic and noise with the change to apartments.

“What is the highest and best use of the property that won’t be something that will degrade the neighborhood?” Reed asked at the hearing.

Jason Dragon, a village resident on East Avenue, also sees the switch to apartments as a more intrusive use for the neighborhood, possibly pushing down property values.

Jeff Palumbo, the attorney for Realtegic, said there are other multi-family dwellings nearby, as well as commercial businesses in the neighborhood. He said the change to one-bedroom apartments makes good use of existing facility that has been vacant for 16 months now.

Karen Conn, the Planning Board chairwoman, said the switch to apartments will not be a significant change on the site. She and the board said they foresee it could result in a moderate increase in traffic.

The special use permit is limited to Realtegic only. If a different owner acquires the site, that owner would have to seek its own permit. Conn noted the board and public can also review the site plan and offer more feedback at a future meeting.

Conn, who also is a real estate agent, said there is a need in the community for apartments for seniors looking to downsize from larger homes and yard work. Many younger couples and singles are also looking for apartments that aren’t targeted for lower-income tenants, she said.

Huzair said the property will stay on the tax rolls and the owner won’t be seeking tax breaks as part of the project.