Norwich — Plans to renovate a key commercial building in Taftville to house 12 apartments and several retail spaces will be reviewed by the planning commission Tuesday, and work could begin soon if the application is approved.

The 1895 building at 3-9 North Second Ave., once an integral part of the historic Taftville mill village, was purchased in March for $170,000 by Ponemah Mill developer OneKey LLC under the name Taftville Landing LLC.

The building has four stories on the side facing Norwich Avenue directly across from the Ponemah Mill and three stories on the North Second Avenue side. The plan calls for up to four retail spaces on the ground level, three on the first floor on North Second Avenue and six apartments each on the second and third floors.

The Commission on the City Plan will review the plan at its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday, including a request to release the 71 parking spaces in the adjacent parking lot from the mill apartments across the street to the North Second Avenue building, Zoning Enforcement Officer Richard Shuck said. The parking lot, owned by OneKey, is designated for the 237 Ponemah Mill apartments. Shuck recommends approving the parking adjustment.

Finbar O’Neill, OneKey director of operations, said the company is negotiating with a pharmacy and a tech company for much of the North Second Avenue storefront space, and the current Hair Do’s hair salon would remain in the far left space at 9 North Second Ave.

In the lower level rear, one potential tenant is Pub 45, a second location for the Jewett City bar and grill owned by 45th District state Rep. Kevin Skulczyck, R-Griswold. The pub would be at the right corner, beneath the hair salon. O’Neill said he would like to bring a sandwich shop, a grocery store and possibly a parcel service store to the building.

“Those are a few different ideas,” O’Neill said. “Now, we’re preparing the space to be tenant ready and then we’ll launch the (marketing) campaign.”

Pub 45 owner Skulczyck said the Taftville pub would have a full kitchen with a larger menu than his Jewett City pub. He also is considering partnering with a coffee shop and creating an outdoor café with 50 to 75 seats.

Pub 45 in Jewett City will celebrate its first anniversary in October, and Skulczyck said he would like to open the Taftville pub by late fall, in time for the holidays.

“We’ll bring that whole corner back to life,” Skulczyck said.

Hair Do’s salon owner Joanne Glidden said she is pleased to be part of the renovation plan. She said she and her staff have been joking about installing a fire pole directly to the pub below for use at quitting time.

“I am very excited about the growth in Taftville and to be in this building that has been left unattended to for so long,” Glidden said. “It’s just going to enhance the whole area. With my fireman’s pole to the pub, I’ll be all set.”

Glidden, who has been leasing space in the building for 18 years, said she already has seen new customers from among the tenants who recently moved into the renovated Ponemah Mill.

The completed first phase of the mill has 116 units and is 95 percent occupied, O’Neill said. Construction on the 121-unit second phase is ongoing.

One long-term tenant in the building is likely to be displaced by the renovation project. The Luis Pabon Dance Arts Center has occupied the second floor at 3-9 North Second Ave. for many years. Dance studio owners could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

O’Neill said he has been talking to the dance studio owners to allow it to stay as long as possible and to help make accommodations if they wish to relocate. OneKey also owns a second building in the Ponemah Mill complex and plans to renovate it for commercial development. The Amazing Furniture store will vacate its retail space at the mill soon for its new location on Main Street, so that space could become available, O’Neill said.

If the planning commission approves the site development plan Tuesday, O’Neill said renovations could begin immediately.

“We’re ready to start right away,” O’Neill said. “We’re hoping to get all the façade work done in summer and fall, and the tenant build out for different spaces over the next year.”

c.bessette@theday.com