By Gazette Staff
The Housing and Development Committee of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 18. On hand for the session were vice-chair Purple Reign, Bernie Doherty, Renee Stacey Welch, Willie Mitchell, Sarah Horsley, Kathy Brown, Gert Thorn, Esther Beillard, Pam Bender, and Lorenzo Bartoloni.
The meeting began with a presentation by Joe Hassell, the founder and managing partner of Boston Real Estate Capital, regarding the proposed development at 3430-3440 Washington St., which presently are the sites of Acme Auto Body and Hatoff’s gas station respectively.
Hassell noted that the project, which will consist of two separate buildings on either side of Rockvale Circle, has been in the planning stages for a few years and has undergone a number of changes in response to feedback from community groups and residents of the neighborhood.
The project will consist of a total of 230 rental units with a parking ratio of 0.45, which is within the city’s maximum ratio of 0.50.
In response to a question from Purple Reign, Hassell said the percentage of affordable units will be 23.6 percent, which exceeds the 20% requirement of the city, though is a bit short of the 25% to which the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council aspires.
There will be 130 units (39 studios, 59 1-bedroom, and 32 2-BR) at 3430 Washington St. and 100 units (35 studios, 42 1-BR, and 23 2-BR) at 3440 Washington St. There also will be spaces for Blue Bikes and a bicycle room room for residents, as well as retail space on the ground level.
Kathy Brown asked about the affordability level in terms of AMI (the average median income of the community) of the affordable units. “We’re still working that out,” said Hassell. “I am committed to having as many units as possible at the lowest AMI possible.”
Brown also queried about the possibility of having more 3-bedroom units, which would make the project more family-friendly. “We are playing with that idea,” Hassell noted, adding that some of the 2-BR units will include a den that could be used as a third bedroom. “But ultimately, the mix of unit sizes will be based on market conditions.”
“This is probably among the best-designed presentations I’ve seen in my years on the JPNC,” said Thorn, who himself is an architect. Thorn then made some suggestions about the color of the facade and the treescaping.
Jan Wampler, a long-time JP resident who also is an architect, spoke briefly, noting that he had met previously with the project’s architect at which various issues were discussed.
“We discussed how to make the building look smaller and how to merge the building into the neighborhood,” said Wampler. “Basically, the goal is, ‘How to make a big building smaller’.”
Wampler also noted the increase in the population density that the project will bring to the neighborhood. “We’d like to work with you to make this a project that we can all be proud of,” Wampler added.
Doherty echoed Thorn’s sentiments about the quality of the presentation, but then took issue with the size of the buildings in relation to the adjacent homes in the neighborhood and suggested that the 104 parking spaces for the 230 units will be inadequate, which he suggested will have a detrimental impact on the neighborhood.
Doherty also stated that he is “against anything over four stories high,” noting the shadows that will be cast by the size of the proposed buildings (they will be six stories high) and suggesting that buildings of that size are not family-friendly. Doherty also stated, “Large buildings such as yours are creating a canyon-like effect along Washington St.”
Horsley applauded Hassell for the 23.6 percent affordability figure. She also expressed her hope that the retail spaces will be occupied by local business owners, as opposed to chain retailers.
Purple Reign read a letter from a resident who stated, “The design is too boxy, drab, and uninteresting. The facade needs more angles, variety, and depth of colors and materials.” The resident also suggested that the step-down in the height of the buildings from the front on Washington St. to the rear (where the buildings are closer to neighboring homes) is inadequate. She further suggested that there should be fewer studio units and more family-size units, as well as spaces for car-sharing vehicles.
Caroline Kelley, a resident of Kenton Rd., whose family has lived there since the 1960s, said, “I’m very encouraged by your work with the community. However, I share the concerns of others about the size of the structures — they are huge.”
Hassell concluded by saying that he looks forward to working further with the community.
The committee briefly discussed the MBTA’s Arborway Garage project, which presently has no commitment for funding from the state and therefore is essentially a moot issue.
However, Doherty, Thorn, and Welch suggested that the committee should keep the issue in the forefront so that when the garage project is resurrected in the future, the committee will have its recommendations for the use of the eight-acre parcel that has been set aside for community development — which could include affordable housing and retail use that will benefit the entire JP community — fully-formed and ready for presentation to MBTA and city officials when the time comes.
“We should reach out to the people who live in the area of the garage to hear what they have to say and what they want to see go in there,” said Doherty.
The committee next discussed the planned development for the Rogerson House, a memory care home for seniors, that is seeking to significantly expand the size of its facility. The committee heard a presentation about the proposed project on February 18 (at which neighbors voiced strong opposition) and Purple Reign asked the members whether they wished to send a letter to the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) stating what they do and don’t like about the project.
Doherty took issue with the lack of parking, the construction time frame of six years, and the overall impact on the adjacent neighborhood.
“You have to consider those who live there and who have made their investments in their homes there,” Doherty said.
On the other hand, Thorn suggested that tradeoffs have to be made. “We can’t stay where we are forever,” said Thorn. “JP is not what it was 20 years ago and it will not be the same 10 years from now. As far as I’m concerned, what Rogerson House does is absolutely precious and essential for all of us in terms of where we might all end up. I think it is worth some compromising to make sure that a facility like that has the ability to expand and grow.”
“I like the development,” said Bender. “I am thankful that it will be 100 percent affordable for seniors. We also have to get over our ‘fear of heights.’ Boston is not going to be this little three-decker town forever. We do not have the land and we will need to build up if we want people to have a place to live.”
She also took issue with the notion that abutters should be the ones whose views predominate, suggesting that those who will benefit from a project such as Rogerson House should have input into the process.
“Rogerson House should be the blueprint for the kind of development that we want to see in the city,” said Bartoloni, a long-time JP resident who is a student at Northeastern University.
Brown added, “A 100 percent affordable housing project is important, given the great need for housing.”
The question of whether to send a letter to the BPDA did not come up for a vote.
The next meeting of the Housing and Development Committee is set for April 15.