By Adam Swift
Last week, the planning board recommended approval for a special permit for a proposed 100-unit residential development with seven small retail spaces at 105-115 Park Street.
The proposed project originally called for 120 residential units with 50 parking spaces on two decks, as well as seven commercial spaces on the first floor at 105-115 Park Street.
In addition to that parcel, which is the location of the former Pollo Campero restaurant, the development lot also includes 12 Essex St. and 1 Ellsworth St.
After hearing concerns at previous planning board and neighborhood meetings about the size of the project, traffic concerns, and the unit mix for the development, the developer brought the revised proposal with 100 residential units back to the planning board on May 27.
“We are really changing the interior footprint of the building, the exterior of the building will not really be altered,” said Anthony Rossi, the attorney for the project. It’s more the unit counts and the unit mix which is changing.”
Several planning board and community members requested that the project include more two- and three-bedroom units. The original proposal only included 16 percent of the units as two- and three-bedroom units.
Under the new plan, there will be 60 one-bedrooms, 30 two-bedrooms, and 10 three-bedrooms, bringing the ratio up to 40 percent for units larger than one bedroom, said Rossi. The number of proposed parking spaces did not change as a result of the revised plan, he added.
“I know the board wanted to see more two- and three-bedroom units, and the redesign has more twos and threes,” Rossi said.
The development will include 15 inclusionary zoning units, with six of those being either two- or three-bedroom units, Rossi added.
The discussion on traffic focused on a state-funded traffic improvement plan that could get underway by 2030 and would help improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety with increased signalization in the area, according to project traffic engineer Scott Thornton of Vanasse and Associates.
Thornton said the developers are also proposing to make a section of Ellsworth behind the development one-way to help with traffic flow around the development. That proposal will have to garner the approval of the traffic and parking commission.
“In general, we think that the site is in a good location to function with limited parking,” said Thornton, noting the five bus lines that run near the property.
There were some questions raised about the mix of parking for residents and retail among the 50 proposed spaces. The developer is planning to set aside 40 spaces for residential use and 10 for retail.
Rossi said it is possible that some tenants may want to use the 10 retail spaces at off-hours at a reduced rate.
Rossi also noted that the property owner is in negotiations with the current laundromat and convenience store on the property to have them return to the new building.
Local realtor Madeline Garcia spoke in favor of the project, noting the need for housing, especially affordable units, in the community.
The project will be before the zoning board of appeals later this month for a vote on the special permit for parking.
In other business, the planning board recommended approval for an addition for a residence at 89 Clinton St., and for a roof deck at 13 Medford St.