New London ― A national investment firm’s plans to convert a vacant downtown church into an apartment complex were paused this week to allow the developer to address the concerns of city staff.

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday accepted the request of Dimitrios Karouta, agent for the Parker Benjamin firm, to open and immediately recess a public hearing until Sept. 19 so it can discuss site plan and special permit issues related to the modification of the former Apostolic Cathedral of Hope at 157 Green St.

Parker Benjamin, a company that specializes in real estate development and investment banking, has expressed a “financial commitment” to working with the city to redevelop properties at 157 Green and 6 Union streets into a total of 29 residential units, according to project documents.

The company, under the PB Projects LLC moniker, purchased the Green Street property in April for $315,000 from businessman Rod Cornish. Parker Benjamin plans to rename the building “Tilley Corners,” documents show.

Cornish, owner of the former Hot Rod Cafe on Bank Street, bought the church property in 2022 with the goal of turning the building into an events venue.

The application calls for the redevelopment of the worship space into 11 apartments or townhouses. Michelle Johnson Scovish, the city’s planning and zoning official, wrote in a staff memo that some of the planned studio-sized units do not currently meet a 600-square-foot minimum and must be redesigned.

Scovish advised that the project’s facade plans, which include new windows, be reviewed and accepted by the Historic District Commission before being presented to planning commission members.

Except for the windows, design schematics do not show any changes to the former church’s exterior stone facade.

Parker Benjamin lists several New London projects – both completed and ongoing – on its resume of revitalization jobs, including the restoration of the Manwaring building on State Street into Connecticut College student housing; the plan to create a mixed-use luxury apartment/retail complex on Bank Street; and the proposed refurbishment of a former silk mill on Garfield Avenue into market-rate apartments.

Parker Benjamin is also in the process of finalizing the purchase of the Monte Cristo building at 6 Union St., located less than 500 feet from the former church, and redeveloping the building into apartment space.

j.penney@theday.com