MANCHESTER, N.H. – Next week, Manchester’s Revo casino could take a big step toward becoming a much bigger version of itself.
Fuss and O’Neill, on behalf of applicant New Hampshire Group LLC and owner Anagnost Investments Inc. will go before the Manchester Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) to help Revo Casino and Social House at 1279 South Willow St. incorporate two adjacent lots on John E. Devine Drive into a new larger combined lot. Those two lots, 55 John E. Devine Dr. and 115 John E. Devine Dr. currently host EVEN Hotel and Manchester Harley-Davidson, respectively.
Three variances will be required to make the lot merger a reality. The first related to impervious surface area, which impacts stormwater runoff. The proposed development would have 83.2 percent of the lot’s area as impervious where 75 percent is the maximum under the city’s zoning ordinance. The other issues involve parking spaces that are 17.5 feet in length where 18.5 feet parking spots are required and landscaping additions within the required ten-foot setback buffer on the southern and northern bounds of the new lot’s western boundary.
The new gaming facility building is slated to be approximately 62,000 square feet and two stories tall. According to property data from the City of Manchester’s Assessing Department, the current gaming facility is 41,559 square feet. The current building at 1279 South Willow Street, once a movie theater, was constructed in 1977 and already has several grandfathered non-conforming elements such as 95.3 percent impervious cover, pavement within setback buffers and approximately 390 parking spaces that don’t meet size requirements for its location within the city.
Many of those non-conforming parking spaces located on the western portion of the current 1279 South Willow Street property would be redesignated as “compact car” spaces. Overhang spaces are also proposed.
The variance requests are the ninth and final item on the ZBA’s public hearing agenda for their October meeting.
UPDATE: The variance requests were quickly approved at the Oct. 10 ZBA meeting.