By Michael Coughlin Jr.
In the first Harbor View Neighborhood Association (HVNA) meeting of the year on Monday, those in attendance voted in support of two projects: one on Saratoga Street and the other on Byron Street.
The first project up for discussion and a subsequent vote was at 682 Saratoga Street. The proposal is to demolish the existing one-family, two-and-a-half-story building and erect a three-story, five-unit building.
Additionally, the proposal is slated to include five parking spaces, and the units are intended for homeownership and will be sold as condominiums.
Regarding the unit mix, there are plans for three two-bedroom and two three-bedroom units, which is a change from what was initially presented to the HVNA.
While Attorney Richard Lynds, who presented the proposal, explained that they are operating under the current zoning code, he mentioned that the proposal aligns more with zoning changes proposed in the Boston Planning and Development Agency’s (BPDA) neighborhood planning initiative PLAN: East Boston.
Lynds also went through some of the violations that require relief. These violations under current zoning include use, side yard, rear yard, floor area ratio, height, and parking.
However, Lynds said, “For the most part, this plan generally aligns with the new zoning, although it does require relief under the current zoning.”
He also added that the project complies with other proposed requirements for zoning from PLAN: East Boston, including lot coverage, permeable area, and the rear yard setback.
Sharon Gentges from Joy Street Design, the architect for the proposal, was also part of the presentation and spoke about the design, saying it is “Doing something that feels contemporary but also blends in with what’s on the street right now.”
Specifically, she spoke about using bay windows and materials like fiber cement siding, among other design details.
Following the presentation, the floor was opened up for questions. One attendee had asked about the permeable area and where it is.
Lynds responded saying, “Anywhere there’s not building — we have to get to 30% permeability — so permeable pavers and permeable system for the parking area will all be included.”
The same attendee also asked about the unit price range, to which Lynds said, “It all depends on where the market is a year from now.”
Another attendee had asked if there were plans for green space for families with dogs or kids to hang out in.
While there seem to be no plans for something like a courtyard, Lynds, in part, explained there are other places families could potentially use, saying, “I mean, there are a number of recreational opportunities in the area; you have a playground right across the street, you have a beach within walking distance, you have a greenway.”
Later in the meeting, it was announced that those in attendance supported the project by a vote of 12 to 9.
The other project that was discussed and voted on was at 206 Byron Street. The proposal, presented by Attorney Marc LaCasse, is to convert the existing two-family building at the site into a three-family.
In explaining the conversion, LaCasse said it would be done by “turning the unused attic space into an additional unit.” Later, adding that there would be “no expansion of the footprint of the existing building, simply converting the top floor there into a dwelling unit with additional dormers.”
Additionally, as part of the project, more space would be created for unit one by extending the living area into half of the basement. With this extension, the unit would be about 1,600 square feet, while unit two and the proposed unit in the attic would be about 1,150 square feet each.
It should be noted that all of these units, including the proposed unit in the attic, are two-bedrooms, and the building is slated to be owner-occupied.
LaCasse also went through the zoning violations that would need relief, which he called “relatively minor in degree and scope.”
Following the presentation, there were only a couple of questions from those in attendance. One question concerned what the building would look like after the work was completed, and LaCasse showed some renderings from the presentation.
In the end, the proposal received overwhelming support by a vote of 20-3. The next HVNA meeting is slated for February 5th.