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Geneva officials may open the door to more flexible uses for older downtown properties. The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended a zoning change that would let owners apply for special permission to convert ground floors of commercial buildings into residential units in the downtown mixed-use district.
This would give the city flexibility to review proposals case by case instead of prohibiting the use outright.
The two properties discussed at the September 25 meeting:
828 West State Street: The building had been listed for seven to eight months with little interest from commercial tenants. Converting part of the space to residential use would make use of existing parking and fit with surrounding buildings. Read more.
122 Hamilton Street: A compact Cape Cod home that’s long struggled to keep office tenants. Its upper floor can’t accommodate a kitchen or full living area, which is one reason for seeking the ground-floor conversion. The owners plan to start with short-term rental use, with potential for long-term occupancy later. Read more.
The change reflects shifting real estate trends and persistent vacancies in some smaller buildings, particularly those that aren’t well-suited to modern office or retail uses. It now heads to the City Council for a final vote on October 6.
Watch the Commission Meeting recording.
History of 122 Hamilton Street
According to both personal research and documentation from the Geneva History Museum, part of the structure is believed to have been built in the 1800s as part of a farm somewhere in Geneva, though the exact location remains unknown. That portion was later relocated to the area now situated between the two churches on Hamilton Street, where it was attached to a property owned by a veterinarian who created a well-known horse salve.
In the 1920s, Geneva contractor Martin Seastrom received permission to move the structure a few blocks down Hamilton Street to its current site at 122 Hamilton Street. At that time, he added a basement, a second floor, and eventually several additional rooms. The Geneva History Museum has verified that the property is more than 100 years old and has expressed support for placing it in their Historic Structures Plaque Program.
The house at 122 Hamilton Street then became the Seastrom family home until they relocated following the loss of their son, Kenneth, in World War II. While Martin Seastrom contributed to the development of several properties throughout Geneva, Kenneth is remembered as the city’s first resident to be killed in WWII.
Read more about the home and Seastrom family’s history.
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