By Gazette Staff
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) held its regular monthly meeting last Tuesday evening, October 28. Chair Renee Stacey Welch presided over the session that was attended by JPNC members Alcurtis Clark, Sarah Freeman, Bernard Doherty, Michael Reiskind, Willie Mitchell, Dave Baron, and Carla-Lisa Caliga.
Dave Baron, the chair of the Zoning Committee, presented the report of that committee. Baron said the committee held three hearings during the past month and approved the requested variances for all three for which Baron was seeking a favorable vote from the full JPNC. Those matters were:
— 7 Brewer Street, in which the owner is seeking to construct a two-story addition with new decks and to renovate a bathroom, for which a variance for insufficient side yard is necessary;
— 79 Sheridan Street, in which the owner is seeking to construct an additional story and retain two units, but needs variances for excessive floor area ratio (FAR), excessive height, and insufficient side yard setback. The Zoning Committee gave its approval with the proviso that large-caliper trees are not to be removed; and
— 3430–3436 and 3440–3446 Washington Street, in which the owner-developer is seeking to construct two large buildings (which will be situated across Rockvale Circle from each other) on the present sites of Hatoff’s gasoline station and Acme Auto Body and Paint.
One of the buildings will be 6-stories in height with 130 residential units, ground-floor retail, and parking, for which variances are needed for forbidden use, excessive FAR, excessive height, a lack of open space, insufficient rear yard setback, and a lack of traffic visibility.
The other structure (on the Hatoff’s site) will be 5-stories high and will contain 100 apartment units with parking and ground floor retail for which the same variances are needed.
“This project almost exactly matches the plans per JP/ROX (the city’s proposed zoning guidelines for this district) for the replacement of a light industrial use to create housing with mixed use, as well as the height, and a density bonus for affordable housing units,” said Baron, who noted that about 23 percent of the rental units (46 of the 230) will be affordable, which is a greater percentage than what the city’s new inclusionary (IDP) guidelines call for.
Baron also added that the Stonybrook Neighborhood Assoc. (SNA) sent a letter that did not oppose the project.
JPNC member Bernie Doherty questioned the lack of parking — the project calls for only 100 parking spaces for the 230 units — and suggested that the adjacent neighborhood will be overwhelmed by parking.
“If you don’t have parking spaces for people, they will go looking for parking spaces, and that will create a real problem where we already have a real parking problem, as well as a traffic problem,” said Doherty.
“I am going to vote against it because I think it is too dense and too tall, and we don’t know what ‘affordable’ really means,” Doherty added.
However, David Brewster, a member of the SNA, pointed out that the developer presented a study that showed that only 80% of the parking spaces in similar projects are actually used by residents of the buildings.
JPNC member Caliga voiced her support for the project.
“There was a very robust process with the SNA. This developer was a good developer to work with. They listened to the community and responded to our concerns by making changes to their plans,” said Caliga, who reiterated that there will be a high percentage of affordable units, including a number of 3-bedroom units for families.
The council members voted in favor of all three projects as a bloc, with Doherty the lone dissenter. The JPNC’s vote is advisory only. All three of the property owners now must go before the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals in order to obtain their variances.
Welch presented the report of the Outreach Committee. She informed the members of the steps the committee is taking to encourage members of the community to participate in the work of the JPNC.
“We need to get more people involved between now and our next election in the spring. We need to bring in new people with fresh ideas,” said Welch, who made note of some of the Outreach Committee’s ideas to increase community engagement: Refresh JPNC.org with updated meeting minutes, council roster, and open seats; launch a monthly email newsletter; add QR code sign-up for flyers; begin a social media campaign with regular updates and calls to action; post updates to local listservs (JP, Egleston, Hyde Square); create and distribute flyers/posters to libraries, shops, and community boards; and coordinate Neighborhood Outreach and elections efforts, including promotion of open seats and candidate engagement.
Resikind presented the report of the Public Service Committee. He said the committee discussed three matters, but only one required a vote of the full JPNC. That matter pertained to the request of Michael Soltani, the manager of a proposed French bistro and bakery at 380 Centre St., for two licenses: a 7-day common victualler, all-alcoholic beverages license, with hours of 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM, and an entertainment license for one (1) TV only, with hours of 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM.
Reiskind said that 380 Centre presently is an empty space of about 1000 sq. ft. that is adjacent to the Brendan Behan Pub (of which Mr. Soltani also is the manager and the owner of the building). He said the new bistro will operate as a bakery in the morning and as a wine bar-concept establishment at night with 37 seats.
The full JPNC unanimously voted in favor of both license requests. Mr. Soltani now must go before the appropriate city boards to obtain his licenses.
Reiskind said that the two other issues that came before the Public Services Committee pertained to requests for package store licenses by two convenience stores, JP Convenience at 546 Center St. and Tropical Market at 371 Centre St. Reiskind noted that there was substantial opposition to both requests. He said the Public Services Comm. did not take a vote on either, and therefore no vote was being requested from the full JPNC.
In addition to its usual business, the council heard from Lee Goodman of Watermark Development, the developer of the former Doyle’s Cafe, the iconic and beloved JP bar and restaurant that closed in 2019. Goodman presented an overview of the project and an informational update regarding the final phase of the longstanding — and still-ongoing — development.
The scope of the project includes four distinct parts: a new restaurant at the former Doyle’s (which will remain a one-story building); an adjacent 5-story building with 16 condo units and ground-floor retail space in the former Doyle’s parking lot (those two projects encompass 3478-3484 Washington St.); a new, 4-story residential building containing seven condo units at 60 Williams Street (which essentially is behind the former Doyle’s); and a new 6-condo building (which formerly had been a one-family home) across the street at 69 Williams St.
The latter two projects have been fully completed and presently are occupied.
Goodman noted at the outset that Watermark undertook its development plans in 2020, but for a variety of reasons beyond its control, the project has dragged on well beyond the anticipated completion date.
Goodman spoke of the lengthy permitting process involving various city agencies, which he said “has made a complete mess” of the construction budget because of higher costs over the past five years and higher interest rates that added 30% onto the final costs. The bottom line, said Goodman, is that there will be a reduction in the number of affordable units in the overall project, which in turn will lead him to return about $750,000 affordable housing grants that Watermark had received from the city.
“This project has gentrified this part of Jamaica Plain because the units are way beyond affordable for the average person,” said Caliga.
“My biggest issue is that it was agreed that there would be units that would be affordable, but now they are not,” said Doherty. “But I accept what you have to say about the added costs.”
However, Teronda Ellis, the CEO of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation, a long-time developer of affordable housing projects in JP, acknowledged the difficulties faced by Goodman that were beyond his control. “We can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” said Ellis.
State Rep. Sam Montano echoed those sentiments. “Mr. Goodman has been transparent with the cost increases he has had to face,” said Montano, who noted that although the original goal of the number of affordable housing units will not be met, the funding that Goodman will be returning to the city can be used for other affordable-housing projects in the area.
Doherty also raised another issue of concern to the JP community.
“Is the new restaurant no longer going to be called Doyle’s?” Doherty asked. “This brought people in from around the world and provided jobs. What is going to happen to Doyle’s?”
Goodman explained that Stoked Pizza, which operates restaurants in Brookline, Cambridge, and Cohasset, will take over the former Doyle’s space that will include a new rooftop deck. He said that the interior of Stokes restaurant will be similar to the layout of the former Doyle’s.
“It never can be exactly like the original Doyle’s,” said Goodman. “However, the front bar and barroom and the middle dining room will be recreated, and will replicate the feeling of Doyle’s, and there will be a separate space for a community meeting room for residents to hold meetings.”
The next meeting of the JPNC is set for Tuesday, November 25.