The North End student housing project moved forward this month with the Hanover Zoning Board of Adjustment’s unanimous Feb. 16 decision to grant a special exception for the 131-unit apartment-style residences located on Lyme Road.

The project goes next to the Hanover Planning Board for site plan review. Dartmouth expects to submit an application to the board in the spring.

“We appreciate the ZBA’s thorough review of this project,” says Josh Keniston, vice president of campus services and institutional projects. “As the project has progressed, Dartmouth has taken steps to address community feedback while also meeting our institutional priority to create additional housing options for our students.”

During the zoning hearings, Dartmouth proposed a reduction in the amount of parking at the site—from 110 spaces to 25 spaces—and shared plans for storm-water management, both of which were influenced by community meetings held this past summer.

As is often the case in zoning decisions, the board’s approval came with conditions. The conditions include Dartmouth making improvements to the multi-use path on Lyme Road to increase safety for the path’s users; providing additional detail on the shuttle that will serve the new residences; and creating additional plans for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular safety at the intersection of Lyme Road with Reservoir Road and with North Park Street. Dartmouth will continue design and planning work in these areas and return to the ZBA with updated plans, as required by the decision.

“The conditions align with the safety, usability, and environmental goals Dartmouth has intended as foundational for this area of campus,” Keniston says. “The North End project will allow us to meet multiple housing needs at Dartmouth, including expanding options to offer apartment-style student living and to add enough new residential space to allow existing residence halls to be taken offline and renovated over a number of years.”

The apartment units are designed to house approximately 400 students and will have an emphasis on gathering spaces throughout the buildings to foster a sense of community. In addition, the buildings have been designed to maximize sustainability and energy efficiency. 

Information on the zoning decision and future Planning Board meetings is available from the town of Hanover.