By Michael Coughlin Jr.
At a hearing last week, the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA) voted to approve a project at 261 Princeton Street that would bring multiple units to the area.
According to Attorney Jeff Drago, who presented the proposal to the ZBA on behalf of the applicant, the project includes demolishing two existing structures at the site to build a new three-story condominium building with four units.
Additionally, the project is slated to contain two exclusive roof decks and two tandem parking spaces. Moreover, the building will have two two-bedroom and two three-bedroom units.
“We feel that this project is really going to clean up this site, which is predominantly two structures [and] very dated,” said Drago.
Drago indicated that this proposal has been updated recently with hopes of meeting requirements under new zoning, which was adopted by the Boston Zoning Commission in April.
“This project was filed about a year and a half ago, prior to any knowledge of what the actual code was going to change to for this area,” said Drago.
“My client worked, listened to the comments, and the plan to make these changes over the last months during our deferral period.”
Per Drago, the initial project called for a 43-foot building with “an additional story” that contained seven units and four parking spaces.
The project site is located in the East Boston Residential (EBR)-3 subdistrict, and Drago stated that the proposal now complies with all of the area’s dimensional regulations.
However, it should be noted that the project does not comply with the maximum number of units allowed in the subdistrict, which is three units. Drago was asked about this when ZBA Board Members asked questions.
Specifically, David Aiken, a ZBA Board Member, asked why they could not comply with the three-unit maximum. Drago chalked this up to financial feasibility, indicating that the project is “barely financially feasible” at four units.
As the hearing progressed, Chris Breen from the Office of Neighborhood Services deferred judgment to the ZBA and noted that the Eagle Hill Civic Association opposed the project.
Moreover, Elaine Donovan from Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata’s office, citing community opposition, indicated that Coletta Zapata opposed the project.
While there was some opposition to the project, a few attendees spoke out in support during the public testimony portion of the hearing.
Krystle Szala, a resident, said she was in “strong approval” of the project and added, “I do think four units is totally fine there. I believe the current building and the garage behind it is in desperate need of a complete overhaul, and this design fits within the rest of the neighborhood.”
Another resident, Margaux King, echoed this sentiment and also said, “I think it would be great to have some more family-friendly housing in the neighborhood.”
Ultimately, the ZBA unanimously approved a motion to approve the project with the proviso that windows be included on both side elevations.
“I think it’s a reasonable compromise given this transition period between zoning codes,” said Aiken.