By Michael Coughlin Jr.
At its November meeting, the Gove Street Neighborhood Association (GSNA) opened voting on a project at 137 Cottage Street, and eligible voters supported the proposal by a slim 3-2 margin.
Further, another individual voted in support of the proposal but was not included in the results above due to uncertainty regarding their eligibility.
The project, which was also presented at the neighborhood group’s October meeting, proposes renovating the existing three-family building.
As part of the proposal, plans include a vertical addition, an occupancy change to four units, and a roof deck.
Additionally, the project is planned for homeownership, and at October’s meeting, Attorney Richard Lynds explained that they had already been approved to extend living space into the basement.
As for how the proposal aligns with zoning, it would need variances for the rear-yard setback and parking.
It should also be noted that the project was cited for lot coverage and permeable space; however, Lynds explained at October’s meeting that since those conditions are existing, they do not require relief.
Feedback from October’s meeting primarily focused on the design of the vertical addition. Several attendees expressed a desire for the design to fit in with the area’s existing context, rather than standing out.
During the November meeting, Chris Drew of 686 Architects outlined the design thought process and the direction the proponent was leaning toward.
First, he walked through three designs that were considered but ultimately not chosen.
One of those options was doing a brick addition to match the existing building below.
“This existing building — as many buildings in East Boston have — it has this really nice cornice… So it gives a nice heavy presence at the roof level,” Drew said.
“Continuing the brick up, you kind of lose that, and it really kind of, in our opinion, it kind of makes the top of the building very heavy,” he added.
The other two options, which were not selected, were different Hardie planks.
“We didn’t want this looking like an afterthought. We really put a lot of time and thought into how we think this should look,” Drew said.
“As well as the biggest thing being — should this be approved — it would be approved with BPD (Boston Planning Department) design review… and Boston Planning Department really will have a lot to say about how this addition looks,” he added.
Ultimately, the design plan is leaning toward Board and Batten painted black.
“It’s a different material than what’s there, but it looks, in our opinion, a little more intentional,” Drew said. “A lot of times when we add additions like this to an existing three or four-story building, a lot of times this is the type of material the BPD likes to see.”
Though it should be noted that, as Lynds explained at the October meeting, BPD has the final word on design.
Following the presentation, the floor was opened to those in attendance to ask questions and comment.
One attendee suggested using brick but adding greenery, like ivy, to hide the newness of the brick.
In response, Drew said getting similar brick to what is currently there would be difficult, and that new brick would “stick out like a sore thumb.”
Additionally, he reiterated his previous point that the fourth floor looked “very heavy,” with brick.
GSNA Board Member Neel Batra also commented that he felt using brick for the vertical addition would “look nice.”
Other comments were made about the design, but ultimately, as Drew said, “When we start talking about materials, everybody looks at things and sees it a little differently.”
More topics, such as the basement living space and condo plans, were discussed before the end of the meeting.
For more information about the GSNA and to view a recording of November’s meeting, visit https://www.govestreet.org/. The next GSNA meeting is scheduled for Jan. 26.