By Adam Swift
The planning board wants to see a revised plan for the proposed addition of three floors and 12 apartment units at the former Home Decor location at 124 Pearl St.
The project came before the board at its regular meeting last week, but board members raised some concerns about the size of the proposed studio and one-bedroom units and the overall density of the proposal.
The developers of the project are scheduled to appear before the planning board again at the Tuesday, Oct. 23 meeting.
Project attorney David Mindlin said Home Decor moved out of the building at the beginning of the year and opened a location in Revere. Shortly after, the property was purchased by his clients, Juan Gallago and Ever Zavala.
“It is now a one-story commercial space, empty, it sits on the lot lines, and what they are looking to do is to add three stories above with one bedroom and studio units,” said Mindlin. “The addition going up would still be sitting on the lot lines, there is nowhere else to go. They would have on each floor one studio and three one-bedroom units … with two affordable units.”
Mindlin added that there would be no parking for residents, but noted that Gallago has developed several similar properties with limited parking, including one in Chelsea at Fifth and Cherry streets.
“It’s on public transportation and provides very much needed residential units for the city,” said Mindlin.
Planning Board member Mimi Rancatore said she had an issue with the size of the proposed units.
“These apartments are incredibly tiny,” she said. “You have an apartment that is 360 square feet, that’s like the size of a closet. I think this property is still too dense; this whole area is going to become incredibly dense with this.”
Rancatore said the project also doesn’t address the need for housing for families who live in the city.
“Having one bedrooms is helpful, but that’s still not addressing the needs of Chelsea, which is at a minimum two bedrooms,” Rancatore said. “There is no laundry in any of the units, I just think it is too dense, I think you have too many units going in there.”
Mindlin noted that the project is a downtown, urban, mixed-use area where there will be many potential tenants who will work in Boston and Chelsea and take advantage of public transportation.
Gallago said he was willing to work with the planning board to address some of its concerns, but also said that he believes there is a need for the type of development he is proposing in Chelsea.
“I have never had even a vacancy in my buildings, and I have a line of people whenever any of my apartments get vacated,” he said. “I have many units that are for families, four-bedroom units, three-bedroom units, but there is also a market and a need for single-unit apartments.”
Board member Eric Czernizer was among those who said he would like to see the plan come back before the planning board with at least two two-bedroom units as part of the mix.