The Gove Street Citizens Association (GSCA) voted 9 to 5 Monday night in favor of approving a six-unit building with three parking spaces on a vacant lot at 66 Lubec St.
Attorney for the developer, Richard Lynds, said this was his client’s second appearance before the GSCA and he has tweaked the project slightly after that meeting and a meeting with the abutters sponsored by the city’s Office of Neighborhood Services.
Lynds said that the project will consist of a four-story, six-unit condo building that will offer homeownership opportunities in the neighborhood.
The building will be a mix of micro units that are under 1,000 sq. ft. as well as studio units on the lower floors. There will also be one two-bedroom unit and one three-bedroom unit on the upper floors.
Since the first meeting and subsequent abutters meeting the developer has changed some aspects of the proposed project.
The original design has been dramatically altered from a more modern designed building using glass, metals and clapboard-like materials to a more traditional design.
Lynds said that after hearing from the community and neighbors the building will reflect the style and context of the surrounding neighborhood that is lined with brick early 20th Century row houses.
The new design tries to keep in line with the surrounding area in regards to roof lines, window treatments and materials like brick.
“We tried to come up with a plan that reflected the context of the neighborhood,” said Lynds. “The architecture and design of other buildings in the area was a lot of the inspiration to our design here.”
The new design also encloses the access to the parking that will be located in the rear of the building. The driveway on the right side of the building was open and ran underneath a portion of the building under the more modern design. Residents and GSCA members didn’t like the look of the modern driveway and asked if the driveway could be enclosed in order to soften up the look of right side of the building.
The developer has also set back the fourth floor in order to reduce the massing of the building when viewed from the sidewalk.
Lynds also added that after the two meeting with the community his client also agreed to eliminate the proposed roof deck on top of the building that would have been a private roof deck for the fourth floor owners.
Cutline,
Attorney Richard Lynds pitches his client’s proposed project for 66 Lubec St. to GSCA members Monday night. The project was approved by the GSCA.