SHELBURNE FALLS — Despite concerns about future parking, the Shelburne Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a special permit that gives owners of the old Singley Furniture building, 19 Bridge St., the right to demolish and replace it with a similar structure that will house both retail shops and handicap-accessible apartments.

Now that they have special permit approval, the building owners can go to the state to apply for a low-interest, small communities loan that could pay for roughly 45 percent of the cost for the demolition and new structure.

Incorporated as Ancient Glacial LLC, building owners Josh Simpson, Cady Coleman, Susan and Jon Stark have plans to replace the dilapidated structure with a new building in the same footprint. The new building will hold three first-floor retail shops on the Bridge Street side and five apartments, all of which meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards.

“This is the third year we’ve owned the Singley building, and it’s time to do something … We’ve been stopped for the past 2½ years because of zoning,” Simpson said, referring to zoning requirements to provide at least two parking spaces for every new apartment and a certain number for retail space. Those parking requirements have been modified in zoning that was approved at annual town meeting.

The owners were seeking a waiver for providing more parking spaces. Simpson remarked that the number of parking spaces required would have exceeded the space of the building footprint.

Simpson said lining up bank financing for the project had also been difficult, but if they get the small communities loan, they hope to finance the demolition and building with a state loan that covers 45 percent of the cost, bank loans that cover 20 percent and with 35 percent covered by private investors.

“We think that this building would be much better than what exists there now, which will fall down. … The new building will be all new, and designed to preserve the visual character of the town. There will be three retail spaces with large, open front. We think we can encourage business in that setting. Upstairs and at the back of the first floor will be affordable apartments for moderate income residents — very accessible for senior apartments.”

He continued, “The building will be pedestrian friendly. Right now it’s not much of a taxable asset. If we had the (new) building there, it would be taxed more. It’s in line with the town’s master plan and it’s a gateway to the Glacial Potholes.”

ZBA member Michael Parry asked what happens if people with disabilities rent the apartments but need handicap-accessible parking?

“If we can’t provide what they’re looking for, then we can’t lease it to them,” said Susan Stark.

“What have you done to mitigate the parking problem?” asked ZBA Chairman Joseph Palmeri.

“We’ve spent 2½ years trying to figure this out,” Simpson replied. “That’s why we’re here.”

Palmeri remarked that, if the building was all retail, parking wouldn’t be a problem. But if people with disabilities live in the apartments, they would want to park on Bridge Street, or behind the Keystone Market, rather than climb up and down the hill that leads to an under-used parking area behind Deerfield Avenue.

Ultimately the board agreed that the benefits to the town of the new retail/apartment building would outweigh the disadvantages of increased parking needs.

Planning Board Chairman John Wheeler said his board supports the Singley building plan, which he said would bring economic benefit to the town, including more jobs and businesses that would draw more visitors. “Twenty years ago, we had more parking problems than now, with Mole Hollow (Candle Co.) employment and with swimmers parking on the streets, then going down to the Glacial Potholes,” Wheeler said.

If the building owners get the state and bank loans, they hope to begin demolition in early 2018, before the warm weather and visitors come to town. Three of the apartments would be one-bedroom dwellings and two would have two bedrooms.