Development News for Rome, New York

Use Variance Approved for Multifamily Apartment Conversion in Industrial Zone

Castle Rock Plaza LLC, represented by Jason Wong, sought a use variance to convert an existing two-story office building at 402-406 South J Street into a three-story multifamily apartment building. The property is zoned IG (Industrial), where multiple dwelling units are prohibited. Wong cited the property's disrepair, the difficulty of leasing office space post-pandemic, and a state initiative encouraging housing development. The plan includes 40 units (studios, one- and two-bedrooms), with a ground-floor restaurant/bar, a clinic, and a gym. The applicant owns an adjacent parcel providing ample parking. The board approved the variance, finding that the proposed use was less intense than an allowed industrial use, that the applicant had exhausted reasonable return options for allowed uses, that the hardship was not self-created, and that the project would not significantly alter the neighborhood's character, while addressing a housing shortage. Concerns about the building's condition and absentee ownership were raised by neighbors, but the board ultimately supported the revitalization effort [cite: 803-817, 850-978, 998-1023, 1049-1059, 1064-1072, 1075-1094, 1101-1280, 1390-1457, 1461-1567, 1607-1744].