A Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) approved mixed-use condo project on Maverick Street that broke ground recently and will bring 49 new units to East Boston is looking to get approval from the city to switch the project from rental to condos.
The project at 205 Maverick St., dubbed EBO, was approved by the BPDA in 2018 after developer Joseph Nogueira made several changes to the design, scale and scope of the proposed building and cut down the number of total units. Originally the developer proposed a five story, 55 unit building with two commercial spaces.
However, Nogueira caused some concern in the neighborhood when residents saw a banner hanging from the construction site advertising condos for sale.
Because the project was originally approved as a rental development the BPDA made Nogueira come back to the community Monday night and pitch his switch from rental to condos.
At the meeting Monday no one opposed the plan and it will most likely get BPDA approval because nothing else concerning the project has changed.
The plans approved by the BPDA call for the demolition of the existing single-story commercial structure that houses a laundromat and convenience store in order to construct a five-story, mixed-use building with 49 residential rental units, seven of which will be affordable units.
According to Nogueira, Nauset Construction has begun its work on the project that will consist of 12 studio units, 17 one-bedroom units, and 20 two-bedroom units.
Nogueira has called the project ‘development without displacement’ because plans to bring back the two commercial properties after construction was completed. The two tenants, Maverick Street Market and Swish & Swash Laundromat, are popular businesses in the area and residents expressed a desire for both to return.
However, at Monday night’s meeting it was unclear if those two businesses that had to relocate would return but the community was assured two similar commercial businesses would occupy the ground level space.
As part of his BPDA approval Nogueira agreed to a $20,000 contribution to fund a transportation analysis, and/or implement pedestrian safety enhancements, vehicle calming measures, and public realm improvements in and around the Maverick Street corridor.
The developer also plans to make donations to the Piers Park Sailing Center as well as the East Boston Social Centers.