The Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA) approved several projects in Jamaica Plain on January 18, including the proposal for a new headquarters for Youth Enrichment Services (YES) at 265-267 Amory St., as well as the revived Doyle’s Proposal on Washington St. and Williams Streets.
265-267 AMORY ST.
Lee Goodman of Watermark Development presented the proposal for 265-267 Amory St., which is to build two separate buildings—one four-story, nine-unit residential building with nine parking spaces, and one three story building with an office and classrooms, along with a ski shop on the first floor.
Goodman said that this is a “joint venture with Youth Enrichment Services (YES), a social service agency that serves about 1600 kids a year currently in their location on Mass. Ave.”
This proposed site is right across from the Brewery Complex, he said, and presents challenges due to the fact that the Stonybrook culvert runs across the front of the site and there is an MBTA easement along the train tracks in the rear. He said the buildings are pushed back on the site away from the culvert, which also helps to lessen the impact of the height and massing of the buildings.
Aside from the two buildings, Watermark and YES are also proposing a bus drop off for the youth ski trips.
Goodman said that the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) has increased from 1.0 to 1.5 and 1.8, and explained that while the zoning height in the area is 35 feet, PLAN: JP/Rox allows for 45 feet. He said the buildings are 45 and 46 feet tall. There is also a rear yard setback violation, as one of the buildings sits three feet from the rear yard—but it’s really to the MBTA easement, he said.
There is also a parking violation for off-street parking, Goodman said. YES will have five parking spaces along with the bus drop off, and there will be nine spaces for the residential units.
Goodman said that they are “actually going to rent spaces from the MBTA to have additional overflow parking.”
The nine units will be three bedroom market rate home ownership units. He said instead of an affordable unit, they “worked with the neighborhood to create a benefits package” that is “equivalent to the cost of one unit.”
The package includes sidewalk improvements as well as improvements for two crosswalks near the project, a path through the Southwest Corridor, and a $100,000 donation to the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC). Additionally, “Watermark agreed to work pro bono for YES throughout the pre-development and construction,” Goodman said.
“It’s really a great project,” he said. “YES does so much for the community. They provide skiing and outdoor trips for kids throughout the city. This will allow them to expand from their current location to a permanent headquarters.”
Tiffani Caballero from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services said that this project had gone through an “extensive community process,” and received support from the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) as well as 88 letters of support.
An abutter on Amory St. said that she lives in one of Watermark’s buildings and pointed out the “quality of work they do.” She said she supports this developer as well as looks forward to the sidewalk and crosswalk improvements in the area.
Rebecca Plaut Mautner of the JPNDC said that the JPNDC is “extremely supportive” of this proposal. “We believe the massing is very appropriate given the location near the T stop,” she said, adding that the organization also feels the proposed buildings work well with those in the area.
Attorney Sheryl Furnari spoke on behalf of opposing abutters, saying that “they welcome the YES program,” but their main concern is with the height of the buildings as they would like them to remain at 35 feet.
Goodman said that the site is “currently a parking lot, so anything we build there feels like an extreme change and we understand that,” but PLAN:JP/Rox does allow for the 45 feet, he said. “We’re really just following the maps that the [Boston Planning and Development Agency] (BPDA) wanted to see there.”
The ZBA voted to approve the project with BPDA design review.
DOYLE’S
The revived Doyle’s proposal was also approved by the ZBA, and consists of three different buildings. The first is at 3484 Washington St., which includes the renovation of the existing restaurant, along with a new 5,000 square foot market and the construction of 16 new condo units above the market and 22 parking spaces. The second is at 60 Williams St., which includes the construction of a four-story, seven unit condo building, and the third is at 69 Williams St. to erect a new three-story building with six affordable units (in conjunction with the JPNDC) and six parking spaces.
This proposal is also being made by Watermark Development, and Lee Goodman said, “I think Doyle’s Cafe needs no introduction but this is our attempt to restore it…”
The proposal also includes knocking down the existing two family home next to the restaurant to make room for the market. The new restaurant will be operated by Brassica Kitchen + Cafe.
The affordable units will be family sized, and two of them will be four bedrooms, two will be three bedrooms, and two will be two bedroom units.
At One Gartland, which is the 16 units above the market, there will be 12 three bedroom units and four two bedroom units, “all 1500-1600 square feet.”
At 60 Williams, there will be four three bedroom units and three two bedroom units around the same size. All units are for home ownership.
Goodman said that there will be 29 parking spots for the residential units and an additional 29 for the commercial spaces.
He said that the market will be a bodega-type store. He said it’s “not going to be a Whole Foods; not going to be a Trader Joe’s.” No retailer has committed to the site yet, as Goodman said many require approvals for the project before they can commit. “They need a lot of certainty,” he said.
The Doyle’s restaurant will be “a little under 5,000 square feet,” Goodman said, and will include a new community room that the team has dubbed the “Kennedy Room.” It will serve as a “private room for community meetings,” he said, in “the same way that Doyle’s always did.”
ZBA member Eric Robinson said that “I think the proponent has done a good job trying to pull a lot of facets together here,” and also acknowledged that this is a “complex project.”
Goodman said that the project has received 140 letters of support from the community, as well as from former City Councilor Matt O’Malley and State Rep. Liz Malia. “It was an extensive process,” he said. “It was about 14 months.
Tiffani Caballero of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services said that the city has received those letters of support, and the Stonybrook Neighborhood Association (SNA) and the JPNC.
“This applicant and proposal has undergone an extensive community process,” she said.
The ZBA reported that it has received letters both in support and in opposition.
Resident Allan Ihrer said “please vote to deny the proposal. It badly needs fixing and mitigation.” He said that the “project relies on the BPDA’s PLAN: JP/Rox for density, but ignores abutters and neighbors.”
Pete Fraunholtz, a resident on Williams St., said ‘We welcome more housing and we welcome getting Doyle’s back up and running, but as was mentioned, there are a lot of violations. The process was rushed. 60 Williams is way too tall and way too close to the neighbors.”
He also had issues with traffic and parking as it relates to the project.
“I would love to see this project move forward,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, a resident on Everett St. “I think it’s a great plan. It’s a black hole over there now. It would be nice to have some street activity and have another market close by. I think this would be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.”
Resident Marcus Walker said he is also in support of the project, as he believes it will “add a lot of value to the neighborhood,” as well as “create community space that has been really needed since the pandemic.”
The Boston Transportation Department (BTD) had also expressed concerns to the ZBA regarding the parking plan. The ZBA voted to approve the proposal with BPDA design review and continued discussions with the BTD to address concerns there.