PORTSMOUTH — Developer Peter Floros — the owner of the historic Daily Times building that was badly damaged in a 2017 fire — has filed a new plan with the city to redevelop the downtown property.
Floros filed a new application with the city Thursday, calling for replacing the fire-damaged building at 278 State St., with a new four-story mixed-use building, according to his attorney, John Kuzinevich.
“It’s going to be a mixed-use building with commercial at the street level and housing above,” he said during an interview Thursday. “Mr. Floros is envisioning 17 apartments or condos, I’m not sure yet which they’ll be.”
Floros filed the application with the city's Historic District Commission, Kuzinevich said.
However, the attorney acknowledged for the downtown redevelopment project to move forward, the city would have to agree with Floros’ engineer that the existing structure must be demolished.
The developer is also seeking a demolition permit from the HDC, which it has denied him in the past.
Floros touts new downtown housing, end of an eyesore
Floros’ submission of a proposed new development to the HDC includes a series of color renderings showing what his proposed new building would look like if approved.
“We want to be working with the HDC as soon as possible,” Kuzinevich said, adding they’ll be seeking to appear at the commission’s next meeting. “Mr. Floros is looking forward to working with them and he appreciates all the attention the existing building has received from city officials, concerned with both safety and aesthetic issues."
Floros’ proposed redevelopment project “has been specifically designed to complement the character of the rest of the historic district,” he said.
Floros decided to file the new application even though the city has yet to issue a demolition permit, Kuzinevich said.
“I think there is a reasonable possibility that the city will allow the building to be demolished,” he said.
A major downtown fire in April 2017 damaged several buildings in the city’s historic district, destroying the State Street Saloon, which now has a new home.
One of the buildings damaged in the 2017 fire was 278 State St. It has been commonly known as the 1850 Daily Times building.
The building has been vacant since the fire.
“Mr. Floroes tried for seven years to develop a plan that worked to integrate the existing building with new construction, but he was unable to do so,” Kuzinevich said.
Taking down the existing fire-damaged building and replacing it with a new mixed-use project with much-needed housing and commercial space is “very exciting,” he said.
“It will be getting rid of an eyesore and bringing economic life to that block,” Kuzinevich said.
City officials recently put up barricades — which are blocking a lane of State Street and an existing sidewalk — out of “an abundance of caution” after receiving a report from the building owner’s engineer stating it could potentially collapse.
Engineer Fred Emanuel, hired by Floros, reported he has “visited the site several times” and it’s his opinion “that there is no temporary fix to guarantee public safety.” He concluded the “structure is unsafe, has the potential of a progressive collapse, and needs to be demolished immediately.”
Portsmouth releases new engineer's report
City officials late Thursday afternoon released a copy of a report from the engineer they hired to inspect the building.
Engineer Jeffrey Nawrocki stated that after walking through the building he concluded “there is extensive damage to the wood framing from fire, water, rot, moss and mold etc., to a point beyond repair.”
He concurred with where the city placed the barricades and fencing around the property in order to keep the public safe.
“I was also given the recent brief report by Fred Emanuel. In my opinion, the exterior brick walls have not changed much in recent years. They are generally plumb,” he said. “I would not have suggested such an immediate safety hazard. However, using an abundance of caution as is expected in such a situation, I can only recommend that the safety zone be maintained until the hazard is removed.”
More Portsmouth development:4 buildings with 48 housing units proposed
City officials, in a press release issued Thursday, said they “plan to keep the barricades in place until the situation is resolved.”
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