After applicants for the renovated casino received variances from the Manchester Zoning Board of Adjustment last month, two requests were before the Planning Board in one of the final steps before reconstruction of the building can begin.

One of those requests was review of a site plan application for the redevelopment which would merge three lots into one new lot. Two lots on John E. Devine Drive, currently hosting the Even Hotel and former Harley Davidson – Manchester dealership would essentially merge into the horizontal Revo lot just to the south.

In the first phase of the renovation, Harley Davidson and the hotel would be demolished and the new two-story 67,175 square foot casino building would be constructed on the footprint of those former buildings along with 290 parking spaces. Upon completion of that phase of the project, the current Revo building would be demolished and replaced with 750 parking spaces.

In this second phase is where the second request would come into play, providing a conditional use permit to operate the facility without the necessary number of parking spaces while the appropriate number of parking spaces are being built on that second phase of the project, a timeframe expected at 3-6 months. The bank adjacent to the current bank location would also be allowed to share some of the parking spaces on the site as peak customer times for the bank and the proposed casino are not expected to overlap.

In addition to the parking spaces themselves, the parking area would also have green space and increased stormwater permeability to deal with flooding as well as an internal “avenue” to facilitate traffic onsite and structural landmarks near the newly merged lot’s frontage on South Willow Street to provide a landmark of sorts in what is one of the city’s key entrance areas just off I-293.

Upon completion, the building is expected to have room for 730 gaming seats, two restuarants and an events center that can hold up to 800 people for concert or 300 people for events where tables are required.

Representatives of the proposal were willing to replant the 43 trees removed on site somewhere else in the city.

Although no decision was made on Thursday night, responses from board members appeared positive.

“It’s a kind of a unique opportunity to transform an area near what’s considered a gateway to the city,” said Planning Board chair Bryce Kaw-uh.

“I want to thank you for your commitment to the city, I think this is a great project and really needed n that area,” said Planning Board Aldermanic Liaison Dan Goonan.

A decision on the two requests is expected at the board’s next limited business meeting later this month and construction on the casino redevelopment is expected to take 18 months.

The casino would also need approval from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for the placement of signage in the city’s right of way along South Willow Street near the casino’s entrance. Currently, the casino utilizes parking spots within the right-of-way, with those spots being removed and a complete reconfiguration of the entrance onto South Willow also proposed, modifying traffic flows between the casino and adjacent gas station.