A developer filed a Letter of Intent last week with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) to create a 190-unit, mixed use development on Bennington Street near Wood Island MBTA station.
According to the letter filed with the BPDA the developer, named only as Redgate, is looking to transform a 50,000 square foot lot at 355 Bennington St. into a six-story building containing approximately 190 multifamily dwelling units, ground floor retail, accessory parking, and amenities and services for building residents.
The site, that currently houses a single-story commercial business and paved lot, is bounded by Bremen Street, Bennington Street, the Martin A. Coughlin Bypass Road, and Excel Academy Charter School.
Redgate plans to demolish the existing building and construct the new six-story building.
“We anticipate submitting a Project Notification Form within the next 30 days, and we look forward to working with your staff, elected officials, community members, and the Impact Advisory Group that will review the Project,” wrote Redgate’s attorney, Matthew Kiefer.
The project has already received some backlash from community members.
Longtime activists like Mary Berninger pointed out that when Massport built the passive park on Neptune Road just across the street from the proposed Bennington St. project, they told the community that benches and other amenities could not be included due to the park’s location under Runway 15/32’s flight path.
“Six stories directly near the approach to a runway?,” said Berninger. “The community couldn’t even get permission for a couple of benches at the Neptune Road Buffer Park because “points of public assembly” are forbidden in that area.”
Also, the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals recently rejected a similar large-scale project on Bremen Street just down the street from Redgate’s proposal.
Citing a lack of greenspace coupled with the size and scope of the project, the ZBA unanimously rejected the proposed project at 282-302 Bremen St. that would have brought 145 additional units to Eastie.