Two More Apartments Planned for Former Bruno’s Site

Report on the Meeting of the Local Historic District Commission, April 14, 2025

This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.

Present
Nancy Ratner (Chair), Steve Bloom, Bruce Coldham, Nicole Miller, Greta Wilcox, Karin Winter, and Elizabeth Sharpe.

Staff: Walker Powell (Planner)

The site of the former Bruno’s Pizzeria, which closed in December, is planned to be converted to a four-unit apartment building. The building currently has two three-bedroom apartments on the second floor, and the new owner, Roula Anamisis, plans to add a two-bedroom and a four-bedroom unit on the first floor, which has housed a pizzeria since the 1960’s. Because the building at 363 Main Street is in the Emily Dickinson Local Historic District, Anamisis needed approval from the Local Historic District Commission (LHDC) for the conversion.

Anamisis told the commission that the only alteration she plans for the exterior is to replace the front door with a window and to add an entrance to the front apartment at the side of the building. She was unsure what she planned to do with the large sign that spans the width of the building facing Main Street. LHDC member Bruce Coldham suggested adapting the sign for the new use, since it is a distinctive part of the façade. Anamisis agreed to consider this suggestion.

Because minimal changes were planned to the building’s exterior and the commission felt this was not an iconic building, the LHDC approved the conversion unanimously.

Accessory Dwelling Unit Approved for Lincoln and Fearing Street Corner
In an application of the new state law to encourage the building of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), Alan St. Hilaire of Valley Property Management plans to add an 888 sq. ft. ADU on the property at 295 Lincoln Avenue that now has a four-bedroom single-family rental house. Under Amherst’s previous ADU bylaw, either the principal structure or the ADU must be owner-occupied, but the new state law prohibits requiring owner occupancy. The Planning Board is consulting with the attorney general to see if the town can specify that both structures cannot be student homes, but the board has yet to receive an answer.

St. Hilaire’s plans are for a simple one-story adu [use picture on p. 14 if you want a pic)with two bedrooms set back on the lot. He presented three schematic drawings with different siding, roof lines and window treatment. The style and color are intended to blend with the existing gray raised ranch house. St.Hilaire said he has owned the property for three years and has made substantial improvements, including repainting and adding solar panels. He showed the commission photographs of several existing ADUs in the neighborhood that he patterned the design after. 

LHDC members liked the more steeply pitched roof and the two-tone paint colors. They suggested that the planned plastic shutters be replaced by three-inch window casings in a contrasting color, and that the wooden railings on the entrance steps be omitted if building code allows. They also suggested that an overhang be added to the front entrance. 

Overall, LHDC members were pleased with the design, and the unanimous approval of the plan did not require that St. Hilaire incorporate the suggestions. LHDC member Steve Bloom noted that the modern design of the existing house was one of the motivations for creating the Lincoln-Sunset local historic district in 2017.. The area has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1933.

Melissa Ferris and Graham Caldwell who live next door voiced their support for the ADU addition, although they worried that removing trees would decrease the screening of the parking from their property. Although several commission members worried about the adequacy of parking provided, they realized that they could not require that there be a minimum number of spaces because it is within a half-mile of a bus stop. However, St.Hilaire said that he monitors the parking and has never seen anyone parking on the lawn. He encouraged residents to call him if they observe improper parking on the site.

Hearing on the Creation of an East Amherst Local Historic District Scheduled for June 9
The LHDC has tentatively scheduled a hearing on the creation of a local historic district in East Amherst for June 9 at 6:30 pending the availability of historic preservation consultant Chris Skelly who did the survey of the area. The hearing will be publicized in the newspaper and on the town’s website. 

The East Amherst Village Center is the oldest village center in the town and contains many existing historic buildings. A letter will be sent to all historic property owners in describing the district and what the creation of a local historic district will mean to them. The area is already on the National Register of Historic Places.

The LHDC will not meet in May.