By Michael Coughlin Jr.

     Last week, the city’s Planning Department hosted a public meeting about the small project review application for a proposal that would bring a multitude of units to 140 Wachusett Street.

     According to Attorney Jeff Drago, the proponent, DND Homes is proposing to raze the existing structure on the site to erect a new four-story residential building with 38 units and 17 below-grade parking spaces at the site bordered by Patten, Wachusett, and Walk Hill Streets.

     Regarding the unit mix, the building would contain three studios, 22 one-bedrooms, five two-bedrooms, and eight three-bedrooms.

     Additionally, the project includes an affordability component, and 22% of the units—eight three-bedroom units—will be affordable and offered at varying AMI (area median income) levels.

     “We really wanted to concentrate on affordability. We heard that at the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) subcommittee on housing that it was very important to have a high number of affordable units,” said Drago.

     Regarding the zoning information for the proposal, the project, which sits in the 1F-4,000 subdistrict, would require variances for aspects such as FAR (floor area ratio), height, and parking, among others.

     As the presentation progressed, the project architect, Michael McKay of McKay Architects, reviewed the design of the proposal, which he acknowledged had evolved over the months.

     For example, he talked about using the existing puddingstone at the site and limiting its removal, incorporating an outdoor space into the stone, and more.

     After McKay walked through floor plans, elevations, and more, he spoke about the landscape architecture, saying that some trees on the property would be removed but noted they would be replaced.

     Following the brief presentation, residents were able to provide comments and ask questions for the remainder of the meeting.

     One resident had asked about the location of the parking garage entrance. McKay noted that in a previous design, the entrance was off of Wachusett Street, but after the team received feedback, it has since been moved to Walk Hill Street.

     Another topic of discussion was how the project changed. A resident pointed out that the project was described as having 28 units and 20 parking spaces online.

     However, Drago noted that changes arose after receiving feedback from the JPNC’s housing subcommittee.

     “We heard from a lot of folks that they would like to see more family-sized units and more affordability,” said Drago.

     “There were a number of comments that we were okay with height because of the ledge of this area; we’re really at three stories in a majority of the building, not four, that we were okay adding an additional fourth floor, so we did that.”

     As the discussion continued, several residents raised various concerns about the project. One concern mentioned was the removal of trees and fears of native trees being removed.

     “We are planning on removing the existing trees to get this foundation in and supplementing it with new trees,” responded McKay, who noted that the replacement trees would be native.

     An abutter had several concerns, including insufficient parking, the building being too big, rock removal potentially damaging surrounding structures and polluting the air, and more.

     Regarding parking, Drago said, “We know it’s always an issue, but [from] the city, there is a push to find other modes of transportation; that’s why we have things like a dedicated bike room on the site as well.”

     He also indicated that the project had been redesigned to limit the amount of rock that would be removed.

     Later, another resident questioned when rock removal would be done, especially considering a school is close to the site.

     Drago indicated that this would not be a “blasting situation” and that a construction plan, when developed, would work around the school schedule.

     Similarly, another resident who has a fourth grader at the Boston Teachers Union School shared concerns about noise, dust, and safety during construction, describing Patten, Wachusett, and Walk Hill Streets as nightmares during pick-up and drop-off times.

     Drago said these concerns would be addressed in a construction management plan. They would be required to have police details, and they would work with the school to determine the best times for work.

     While several residents raised concerns about the topics above and more, a few attendees at the meeting spoke in support of the proposal.

     For example, one resident spoke about knowing of more than 100 residents willing to sign a letter supporting the project.

     While this resident acknowledged the raised concerns, they said, “There are a lot of folks in this neighborhood who are very supportive and excited about this.”

     “I recognize that the overwhelming sentiment from folks who’ve talked tonight is not reflective of that, but I can assure you, we’re here, we are a part of the community, we live here, we have kids here, and we plan to stay here and we’re excited that there’s going to be more housing and more affordable housing here.”

     State Representative Samantha Montaño was also present at the meeting and spoke about residents being displaced in the neighborhood, the state’s housing crisis, and the importance of building more units.

     “As a State Representative for this district, I understand that there are community concerns that need to be addressed, but I would also like to encourage us to look at this housing as a great opportunity,” she said.

     Overall, by the end of the meeting, it was clear that there was more work to be done, which staff from the Planning Department acknowledged.

     “We do have a lot of work to do. We appreciate [it] — this was good feedback — I know Jeff and his team appreciate it as well,” said Daniel Polanco, a Project Manager at the Planning Department.

     “This is the first public meeting of the project — we will keep working on this.”

              To learn more about the project and watch the meeting recording, visit https://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/140-wachusett-street. Polanco indicated that the next meeting would be planned for sometime in either August or early September.