By Adam Swift
A proposal for a 116-unit residential development at 529 Broadway has been referred to the city council’s zoning subcommittee.
The council opened the public hearing on the project at its meeting last week. Some councilors and residents raised concerns about the size and density of the project on Broadway, likening it to recent developments along Revere Beach.
The property is in the general business and residential business districts and currently is home to an auto body garage that was built prior to zoning, as well as a restaurant and a liquor store, according to attorney Larry Simeone, representing property owners 529 Broadway, LLC.
“We ask the council to allow my client to seek a special permit to raze a nonconforming structure, taking all those existing buildings and removing them to put in a new five-story multi-family structure,” said Simeone.
Currently, there are 116 units proposed for the building, in four stories above a podium for parking. Under the podium would be commercial spaces which architect David Barsky said are likely to house a new liquor store and the newly renovated existing restaurant. The majority of the proposed 61 parking spaces would service the retail units as opposed to the tenants, Barsky said.
“Like so many buildings that we have done in and around this area, we have found that there is very limited car ownership, especially when you are dealing with one-bedroom units, as this project is primarily consisting of,” said Barsky.
The building would also include rooftop gardens, which Barsky said would help bring light into the units.
“It is a very deep and wide site so I had to do something to be able to utilize the site, at the same time as providing light and windows for bedrooms and living spaces,” he said.
The building is designed to create a facade along the street to enhance the urban corridor which is already in progress along the street, Barsky said.
The rear of the building faces toward School Street, but Barsky said after meeting with site plan review and getting some recommendations, he eliminated access through School Street and focused on creating landscaping along that street.
Barsky said a shadow study was completed following a neighborhood meeting where he said there was considerable concern about what the building would do as far as shedding light on neighboring properties.
“The building does cast shadows, but what this illustrates is that the only time this building is going to cast … meaningful shadows on the neighboring property … on the righthand side is when the sun is very low in December that the shadows are very long,” said Barsky. “But otherwise, for three quarters of the year, this building will not cast shadows to the actual neighbor to the right.”
School Street resident Marie Shand, who abuts the property, objected to the scale and proximity of the project to her home.
“I love my city, I love the beach, and I really don’t want to leave my home,” said Shand. “Unfortunately, I know the architect was just up and he was saying about the shadows; it’s not the shadows that I am worried about, it’s the giant monster, when I look out my window, that is all I am going to see, a giant building. What is there now is low, I can see the blue sky, I don’t want to not see the blue sky.”
Beach Street resident Kori O’Hara said she had general concerns about the project, including the potential for increased traffic, a strain on the city’s infrastructure, and an adverse effect on the quality of life.
“We have already the monstrosity down at 781 or 791 Broadway that went up, that is already an eyesore,” said O’Hara. “I think people are going to start seeing the traffic issues from that. This project is not promising any parking for the residents.”
Ward 3 Councilor Anthony Congliandro said the project is in his ward and that there was a community meeting earlier in July.
“I’m going to save my comments for zoning … but I just want to plainly state that if my constituents aren’t pleased then neither am I, so we’ve got some work to do.”
Councilor-at-Large Robert Haas III noted that during the recent Broadway master planning sessions, no residents suggested that they wanted to see a 100 unit project along Broadway.
“When you factor in traffic, factor in the strain on emergency services,” said Haas. “You have schools nearby, the Lincoln School would be impacted; I know a number of these are one bedrooms, but there will still be kids in the apartments.”
Haas said he agreed with Shand that the project looks like something you would see along Revere Beach.
“I just don’t know if the scope of this project is a good fit for the Broadway area,” he said.
Ward 6 Councilor Chris Giannino said while he thought the design shows a beautiful building, he agreed that he did not think Broadway was a proper location for it.
“The biggest issue I have with this project and projects like this; I understand it is a nonconforming structure, however I am a firm believer that the redevelopment of that nonconformity should stay within the footprint of what is there,” said Councilor-at-Large Michelle Kelley. “The fact that you’re increasing the size of the nonconformity so substantially, so significantly is what I can’t get behind. I’ll never be in favor of these buildings that are on the sidewalks, no setbacks, and are just on top of each other.”
Council President Marc Silvestri also noted that he liked the design of the project, but like Giannino, said he did not believe it belonged on Broadway.
