Developer Pitches 9 Unit Building for Moore Street

At Monday night’s Harbor View Neighborhood Association (HVNA) January meeting, local developer Joey Trichilo pitched his plans to demolish an existing two family home and erect a four-story, nine-unit building at 80-84 Moore St. 

The plan received immediate backlash from HVNA members who thought the project was too large and out of context with the rest of the neighborhood. 

However, Trichilo’s attorney, Richard Lynds, reminded members that this was just the initial presentation and he and his client were at the meeting Monday night to get feedback from the community. 

“This is our initial presentation that involves two parcels of land,” said Lynds. “Mr. Trichilo entered into an agreement to purchase this property from the (current owners) and is proposing a redevelopment of the site. As is customary with any project we’re required to go through a community process. So this is our first presentation with respect to this project and therefore we’re interested in dialogue and discussion. We are not suggesting that this will be the final version of this project but this is the initial part of the process that we are undertaking.”

Lynds said his client plans to demolish the existing two family home and combine that lot with the existing 2,500 square foot lot located adjacent to the current two family. 

“We’re proposing to combine those to create a new 5,000 square foot lot and proposing a four story, nine-unit residential dwelling with nine parking spaces,” said Lynds. “The units would include two bedroom units and one, one-bedroom unit with ADA accessibility on the first level.”

Lynds said all the units will be sold as individual condo units. Trichilo has also added one affordable unit even though he is not required to do so under the city’s inclusionary development policy.

“We hear this a lot at meetings and I’ve been asked at multiple meetings in the past that when we are proposing a nine unit dwelling we are below the requirement that the City of Boston has set forth under the inclusionary development policy,” said Lynds, pointing to the fact that the policy kicks in for developments of 10 units or more. “We understand this is a substantial project and we’ve heard concerns and criticism in the past that when a project of this size is proposed there are no affordable units because it’s below the threshold. I’ve had a conversation with Mr. Trichilo about this and he is committed to doing one affordable unit, even though he’s not required to do so. That will ensure that at least one of these nine units would be set aside as an affordable unit.”

After showing slides of the proposal, Lynds again reminded members that the design was a very preliminary design. 

However, HVNA members like Matt Barison said the variances being sought by the developer were too substantial. 

“Looking at this proposal there are two lots,” said Barison. “Each lot is zoned for two-family Development. So, if it’s zoned for two- families then the permitted use would be to build four units on each lot. You’re asking us to consider nine units but nowhere in your presentation did I hear anything about how the zoning code constitutes a substantial hardship on the reasonable use of the property.”

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