Afternoon. My name is Priscilla Brohass and I am the chair of the BPDA board. Thank you for joining the January 15, 2026 Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Boston board meeting. At this time, the Boston Planning and Development Agency is hosting public meetings in a hybrid setting for the
health, safety, and accessibility of Boston residents. Hybrid means that our board meetings are conducted in person at city hall in our boardroom on the 9th floor and virtually via Zoom and Boston City TV. For more information and updates, please visit bostonplans.org. The open public meeting law requires
that I notify the public that this meeting is being recorded. Please be aware that an audio and visual recording of this meeting is being made and broadcast by Boston City TV, which is part of the city of Boston Office of Cable Communications at Xfinity channel 26, RCN channel 13, and Verizon files
channel 962. It is also being livereamed at boston.govcable. Uh if there is anyone in the audience now who is recording this meeting, we ask you please identify yourself. >> Okay, seeing none. Um and uh we're going to start the meeting with the roll call. Miss Bennett
>> present. >> Mr. Shepard >> present. >> Mr. Omali >> here >> and the chair Roas present. Item number one, request authorization for the approval of the minutes of the December 11th, 2025 board meeting. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor? I
>> opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Item number two, request authorization to amend the construction services contract with South Coast Improvement Company to complete repairs to the platform and canopy at 12 Channel Street in the Raymond Raymond Elen
Marine Park to increase the contract amount by $350,000 and to further execute a 15% contingency for a total aggregate contract amendment amount of 42,500. Star. >> Good afternoon, Madame Chair and members
of the board. It's nice to be before you again. I'm here to request authorization to amend the construction contract with South Coast Improvement Company. Um they're our contract, general contractor at 12 Channel Street for the loading dock repair project. Um this matter was
before you in December of 2024 and that's when we originally awarded the construction contract. As you may recall, uh, 12 channel is a ninestory masonary building built in the 1940s by the US military and has an elevated
loading dock platform area that wraps around the whole building. Um, and it has a concrete canopy and awning. This contract is performing uh concrete repairs and replacements to portion of the loaden dock and to extend the life
expectancy of this portion of the building. We encountered some unforeseen conditions on this project, namely the uh angle iron rod tiebacks that support the concrete canopy. Um it's the overhang um where we found some
structural deficiencies um because of certain corrosions. This was not apparent during the design investigation. Um the deterioration was located under some asbestous. So after some of the roofing materials and the contractor was working on it, um he
noticed it and we didn't want to cause any more of a disturbance. So we made sure everything was cleared up and sound. Currently we're good to go. Construction should end by the end of July, but now we need to pay for the
winter conditions um because we're, you know, working with concrete in the winter and the lapse of time. The original contract was roughly 4.4 million. Um, we're going for we're asking for a 9% increase, which is roughly 400,000.
Um, which includes the 15% contingency, bringing the total contract amount to 4,769,97410. And given the safety impacts of this work and contractors going through, we just need to tighten up and finish up. Any questions?
>> That's it. Thank you very much. Any questions uh comments from the board? >> All right. Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I posted. You guys have it. Motion passes. Thank you. Right. Item number three. Request authorization to amend
the engineering service contract with Gail Associates Incorporated for engineering design services for prep repairs to the platform and canopy at 12 Channel Street within the Raymond Elephin Marine Park. increase the contract by $137,100 and to further execute a 15% contingency
for a total aggregate contract amendment amount not to exceed $157,665 star. >> So me again and when there's more construction, you need the designer to stay on to close it up. So we're here to
amend the uh engineering contract with Gail. And as you mentioned, yes, it was originally for $41,000 roughly. The increase we're asking for is about 40%, but compared to the construction contract, it's within
industry standards at 12% and the total amount uh to the final contract would be $558,865. >> Okay, >> any questions? >> Thank you. Uh any questions or comments from the board? >> Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor
>> I opposed. You guys have it. Motion passes. Thank you, Star. >> Item number uh item number four, request authorization to enter into a grant agreement with the SUFFK University Office of Small of Office of Small Business to support
local economic development through technical assistance and advisory services uh for small business owners in an amount not to exceed uh $50,000. Uh Amina or Chief you. >> Well, it's me again. >> Yeah. >> Um, great to see you all here.
>> Um, I want to try to be here every month. It's great to see you again. >> Um, well, I guess for the record, she got chief of economic opportunity and inclusion just here to request um $50,000 uh to support a partnership with Suffach University. So this is an
initiative between SUFFK um the entire university and our office of small business to support um uh you know growing or emerging small businesses to prepare for the events coming up uh this year uh FIFA tall ships uh and the 250th
um particularly those located in um neighborhoods uh that are economically disadvantaged uh but also targeting uh residents who are looking to come up out of poverty uh through entrepreneurship. Um, so the $50,000 uh that we'll be providing to SUFFK is to number one help
to make access free for this program, but also to provide a stipend uh to those who are participating, which is not currently available. And talk to any entrepreneur, they love all these programs, but you know, if they're going to choose between building their business or participating in an accelerator, they're going to build their business because that's what's
going to get the money. Um, and so this is a way to make both happen. So that's what we're asking for. Um, very very happy uh with Suffach University. Just as context here, they launched a program a couple of years ago called SEED, which stands for SUFFK entrepreneurship and educational development as a result of
uh conversation and collaboration with the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet. Uh uh for SUFFK, it's the first of its kind cross-disciplinary universityrun consulting clinic for small business owners focused on Boston businesses. What they do is uh all parts
of the university. Um, if you're a small business, you need uh legal support. You're working with their law school, business support, their business school, etc., etc. Um, and we've had dozens of businesses go through there uh that have gotten really important uh support. Um, and so I want to thank uh President
Kelly for helping to fund that. But so this is kind of building on that relationship and that partnership to provide uh more support for businesses, get them ready for 2026 and help them grow beyond. So >> awesome. Thank you. Um, any questions or comments from the board?
Yeah, I think we're good. Um, hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> See you next month, maybe. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Item number five, request authorization to issue a request for
proposals for a contractor to deliver CDL with class B lensure lensure training and support of the Boston Climate J jobs alliance. Dorene. >> Thank you. My name is Dorene Tracy. I'm the director of workforce training and programs in the city of Boston worker
empowerment cabinet which includes the office of workforce development. I'm here today to request permission to advertise and issue a request for proposals for a contractor to provide commercial drivers license CDL training services to support the Boston Climate
Jobs Alliance. In August 2024, the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation was awarded 9.8 8 million climate ready workforce grant from the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Noah,
for the City of Boston Office of Workforce Development to create the Boston Climate Jobs Alliance, which is a coalition of 30 stakeholders, including training providers, educators, service providers, community engagement partners, climate experts, and
employers. The alliance work is aimed at filling approximately 1,200 jobs committed by 13 employers in family sustaining coastal and climate resilient occupations over four years. Workers trained through the alliance will be placed in jobs that
help advance coastal resiliency strategies. With this request for proposal, the Office of Workforce Development is seeking an experienced commercial driver's license CDL training provider to provide theory and behind the wheel
training for Boston residents seeking a CDL class B license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Program graduates will be prepared to enter into employment with employers such as the Boston Water and Sewer Commission to ensure water and
wastewater systems reliability and the city of Boston to strengthen emergency preparedness and response capabilities. The estimated contract amount is $685,000 over 2.25 years and it will be supported
by the climate ready workforce grant provided to EDIC by Noah. The RFP is scheduled to release on January 20th pending approval. Thank you for the opportunity to present. Okay. >> Thank you very much. Um do we have any questions or comments from the board?
>> Sounds like a great great program. Um hearing and seeing none. Uh motion is in order. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you. Item number six, request authorization to issue a request for proposals for
contract for a contractor to provide training and case management services to support the Boston Climate Jobs Alliance. Dorian, thank you. So, I'm here today to also request permission to advertise and issue a request for proposals for a contractor to provide
what we call bridge program training services. This is the case management and training to support the Boston Climate Jobs Alliance. With this request for proposal, the Office of Workforce Development is seeking to fill a bridge program training provider role to
provide expertise in CDL training to develop and deliver job readiness curriculum for adult learners and with case management and job coaching expertise. The trainer will create a pipeline of qualified students participating in training for the
attainment of a commercial driver's license permit, a CDLP, tanker endorsement and hoisting license. The estimated contract amount is $493,000 over 2.25 years and it will also be
supported by the climate ready workforce grant provided to EDIC by Noah. The RFP is scheduled to release on January 20th pending approval. Thank you again for the opportunity to present this request. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments
from the board? Hearing and seeing none. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you, Darren. Item number seven, request authorization to issue a request for proposals for a contractor to provide a training program
to support the Boston Climate Climate Jobs Alliance that provides career readiness, occupational skills, and wraparound support for participants to enter and be successful in a registered union apprenticeship in the building trades. Jody, >> thank you. Good afternoon. My name is
Jod Sugarman Rosanne. I'm a deputy chief in the worker empowerment cabinet, which includes the office of workforce development. Thank you for having me here again. I am here to request permission to advertise and issue a request for proposals for a contractor to provide a training program to support
the Boston Climate Jobs Alliance that provides career readiness, occupational skills, wraparound support in order to enter and be successful and a registered union apprenticeship in the building trades. My colleague has already talked about the grant that was received by the
economic development in Industrial Corporation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I'll add that on December 3rd, the Worker Empowerment Cabinet released a new report, the Boston Climate Ready Workforce Action Plan, a workforce assessment, a climate workforce
assessment. And according to that report, between now and 2050, efforts to design, build, and operate a clean energy economy and ensure Boston's climate resiliency will keep about 67,000 people employed each year. About
10% of those jobs will be net new jobs that wouldn't exist if it were not for the city's policies and strategies. About 50% of those jobs will be in the building trades. In fact, over the next 25 years, we estimate that the city and
property owners will need to invest anywhere between 12 and 21 billion dollars in new coastal and nature-based investments to prevent flooding, control storm water, build coastal resilience, and other efforts. About 8,858
to 15,525 jobs will be supported by these investments each year, including workers to install, maintain, and um build resilience infrastructure. You can find the full report at boston.govclimate-job.
So, with that information, we now want to ensure that we're building pathways for Boston residents into those jobs. That is why we're asking today for the opportunity to release a request for proposals that seeks a vendor to provide technical training to prepare at least
38 students with career readiness, occupational skills, and wraparound support in order to enter and be successful in a registered union apprenticeship in the building trades. The estimated contract amount is about 300 is 350,000 over two years and will
be supported by the climate ready workforce grant provided to EDIC by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration and the RFP is scheduled for release in early February pending approval. Thank you very much for the opportunity to present again today.
>> Thank you. Um any questions or comments from the board? >> Uh just a comment, the labor workforce is essential across the country. Um they say for every one apprentice that comes into our retire two journey persons are retiring. So we definitely have to replenish the workforce and this is a
great idea. Glad to hear it. >> Thank you. Thanks for your support. >> Yeah. And like very impressive statistics um and and having this focus to uh to climate ready jobs um and the building trade. >> Please check out the full report.
>> Um all right. So any other questions or comments? Hearing and saying none. The motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks so much, J. >> Thank you so much for your support. >> All right. Item number eight, personnel. Mike.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board, Madame Secretary, and Director Shen. We have one item for your consideration on the EDIC agenda with the exact details included in the board memos. We have one contract in the administration division, Zoe Calberg.
Thank you. And that's it. If I have any questions, I'll answer. >> All right. Any questions or comments from the board? Hearing and seeing none. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks, Mike. >> All right. That was the last item. So I
now now need a motion to adjurnn the EDIC meeting. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. um meeting. Okay, we'll now move on to um the next portion. Thank you for joining the
January 15, 2026 Boston Redevelopment Authority board meeting. At this time, the Boston Planning and Development Agency is hosting public meetings in a hybrid setting for the health, safety, and accessibility of Boston residents. Hybrid means that our board meetings are conducted in person at city hall in our boardroom and the ninth floor and
virtually via Zoom and Boston City TV at the same time. For more information and updates, visit bostonplans.org. The open public meeting law requires that I notify the public that this meeting is being recorded. Please be aware that an audio and visual recording of this meeting is being made and broadcast by Boston City TV, which is a
part of the city of Boston Office of Cable Communications at Expinity channel 26, RCN channel 13, and Verizon files channel 962. It's also being livereamed at boston.gov/cable. Uh if there any if there is anyone in the audience uh who is recording this meeting, I ask that you please identify
yourself now. Okay, seeing none and also please note that no demonstrations of of approval or disapproval from members of the public are permitted um as well during the meeting. So thank you. Uh starting with the roll call, uh Miss Bennett >> here, >> Mr. Shepard >> present. >> Uh Mr. Ali >> here
>> and the chair is present. Um so before we get started, we have uh councelor Flynn. Um, so, uh, Councelor Flynn, the the the floor is yours, please. Okay. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um,
Madam Chair, may I speak on um 391D Street, >> please. >> Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair, and to the members of the board. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Um, city councelor Ed Flynn. I sent in a letter, but I also wanted to testify in person
on the proposed project at 391D Street to construct a new 15story 438 room hotel. Um this would um result
um in more tourism uh coming to Boston but also uh supporting the convention center that desperately needs more hotel rooms um as they are planning for more conventions as well. Um in recent days, Madam Chair, I spoke directly with the
Massachusetts Convention Center Authority Executive Director that just started uh John John Barrows about this project. I felt it was important for me to speak with him directly because this was placed on the BPDA board before he
was hired or or he started actually as well. >> Um so I do I wanted to make sure that he was comfortable with what was going forward and after a conversation with him um he confirmed to me that they are
supportive of this project. Um so that's why I'm here. I'm I'm in support of this project. I do believe we need more economic development in the city. I want to see more job training for this project as well. This will improve Boston's economy, help provide job
opportunities. It's a it's critical we support economic development in Boston and I know the development team will do a very good job. Um and you along with the U builders as well. also wanted to one record in support of this project, Madam Chair, and thank you for giving me
the opportunity to speak. >> Thank you very much, Councelor Flynn, and for going the extra mile and having additional conversations. We appreciate it. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Okay, Madam Chair. Jordan Fus is here from Councelor Murphy's office. >> Okay. Um Jordan, uh the floor is yours as well.
>> Weber, I'm sorry. Councelor Weber's office. >> Thank you. >> Uh good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of the board. Uh Jordan Fri is here representing councelor Ben Weber, District 6. Um I believe you guys have this um support letter for item number 15 on the agenda, the Roger Buofford
project. I'm just going to read what the councelor wrote though, so it's on the record. Um the council is writing to express his support for the revised plans for the Roger project located at 434 Jamaica Way Street and a budding Buford Street in Jamaica Plane. Uh the project promises to provide updated
facilities for Roger's memory care uh residents as well as a substantial number of muchneeded affordable housing um units for seniors. The project involves two phases with phase one involving the construction of six-story building that provides modernized memory
care units for all Roger's current patients as well as 41 affordable unit senior apartments. Uh phase two of the project, which I do not believe is before the BBDA currently, um will involve the renovation of Roger's current building and the creation of an
additional 53 units of affordable senior housing. Um together both phases of the project represent a significant change to the immediate area and will undoubtedly have an impact on the abuing residents on Buford Road, Lakeville Road, uh Jamaica Way Court and Lockstead
A who have voice all voiced their concerns in public meetings as well as directly to our office. Uh due to the potential impact uh we closely monitor the project uh Roger's community engagement with the neighbors and have held several meetings with both Rogers the Butters. Uh we just want to commend
uh Roger's willingness to respond to Butter's concerns about density and space without a normal outlet onto a main street by making changes to their original plan. Uh some of the changes include redesigning the proposed building in phase one for less of an impact on neighbors by reducing the
number of affordable senior units in phase one from 74 to 41. uh capping the number of affordable senior apartments to be constructed in phase two and by altering the location of deliveries to prevent trucks uh from backing up on a narrow driveway repeatedly and altering
the exterior of the building to better reflect the surrounding community. Uh Jamaica Plane needs affordable housing of all kinds, especially for its seniors who are being pushed out by rising costs. Uh Roger's proposal will provide a significant amount of affordable senior housing in a relatively small
space. So, our hope is that the BPDA board will look favorably on this project and vote to approve this application during this meeting today. Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and members of the board. >> Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Um, okay. Starting with uh agenda item number one, request authorization for
the approval of the minutes of the December 11th, 2025 board meeting. A motion is in order. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Uh item number two, request authorization to schedule a public hearing on February 12th, 2026 at 5:30
p.m. or at a date and time to be determined by the director to consider the proposed first amendment to the development plan for plan development area number 521 Bringham uh circle located at 1610 through 1620 Tmont Street in the Mission Hill neighborhood
for the conversion of existing office space to new healthcare clinic space and to allow for clinic and accessory clinic as allowed uses within the PDA. So just a scheduling request a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor I
>> opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Okay. Item number uh three. >> Madam chair, I have to recuse myself. >> Okay. >> Okay. Item number three, request authorization to schedule a public hearing on February 12th, 2026 at 5:40m
or at a date and time to be determined by the director to consider the proposed first amendment to the Wentworth Institute of Technology 2024 uh through 2024 institutional master plan for the construction of a residence hall and support and student support
service spaces. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. Uh roll call or no roll call. All those in favor? >> I oppose. The eyes have it. Motion passes. >> Okay. Item number four, uh, request
authorization to extend the lease with International Institute of New England, Incorporated for the use of the third floor of the China Trade Center located at Boilston Street for a period of 10 years, commencing February 1st, 2026, and ending January 31st, 2036 with two
5-year term renewal options. Rebecca. >> Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the board. International Institute of New England has been attendant at two Boilson Street since 2017. They occupy the entire third floor with 13,676 ft. I creates opportunities for
immigrants and refugees to succeed through resettlement assistance, education, career advancement, and pathways to citizenship. I came into the building in a different market climate and class B office rate office rates were higher and vacancy lower than they are today. We have stated to the board
on a few occasions that we are looking to extend existing leases at 12 channel street and two boilson street rather than going to the markets are looking for new tenants. I's current lease expires in February of 2026 and the lease allows for a single 5-year option extension. Current market office rates
in the Midtown subdistrict area, which includes Chinatown, is in the low to mid $30 per square foot range. I has agreed to extend their lease by 10 years with an with an option to extend for an additional 10 years. Um, we are therefore proposing to lower the rent for
to $33 per square foot plus a tenant improvement allowance of $25 per square foot to be used towards remodeling uh and space design. By comparison, the BRA would have expected to pay a tenant improve improvement allowance of over $150 per square foot just to compete for
a new tenant. IN will also receive a second tenant improvement allowance of $5 per square foot in 2031 to be used towards any desired touch-ups. This business model is mutually beneficial. INE benefits from no relocation expenses, no service downtime, immediate
reduction in rent, and modestly improved space. And the BRA benefits from a guaranteed market rate revenue through 2036, no loss in cash flow, and a 5% reduction in tenant improvement allowance as opposed to going out into the market, and then cash flow value well over 400% greater than the
forecasted value in the event that I moved. So therefore, we are recommending that the board authorize the new lease agreement with IN. Thank you. And I'm happy to answer any questions. Right. >> Thank you. Questions or comments from the board? Right. Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. Second.
>> All those in favor? I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you. I like this strategy, by the way. >> Okay. Item number five, request authorization to renew a licensed agreement with Delaware North Companies Incorporated for two existing electronic
signs on the north facade of TD Garden located at 100 Legends Way in the West End neighborhood for a period of one year with automatic renewals for seven one-year terms up to a maximum of eight years and a licensing fee of $5,000 per sign per year. Christopher,
>> hey. Uh, Madame Chair, members of the board, uh, Chief Shen, Secretary Paul Heis, good afternoon. For the record, my name is Chris Breen, I'm compliance monitor with the planning department, and before you today, as stated, is a request from Del Delaware North to renew
their current license agreement for two electronic signs that are located on the north exterior wall of the TD Garden, just above the MBTA commuter rail, across from the Zum and the Star Drive on-ramp. These are the two signs that
have received zoning approval way back in August 22nd of 2016 and BPDA board approval in October of that year. The proposed license extension is for one year with the option to renew annually for up to seven additional years for a
total of eight years from this this past year. The license maintains all existing conditions regarding the sign design, content controls, hours of operation, maintenance, and continued compliance with their zoning relief. There's
there's no new tech to be installed, and images of the sign will remain static. Delaware North has worked with both the state and city and has complied with all required public service announcements associated and is up to date with all annual licensing payments at this time.
Uh this concludes my presentation. I'm happy to take any questions. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Questions or comments from the board? All right. Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks, Chris.
Item number six, request authorization to extend final designation status to Windell Developers Incorporated as developer of 12 urban renewal parcels through the neighborhood homes initiative located on H Hallworthy and Hollander Streets in the Washington Park
urban renewal area project number mass r-24 in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston and to execute all appropriate documents including a deed and land disposition agreement for each site by April 30th, 2026. Hun. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and members of the board. This request concerns the an
extension of final destination for the Hallready Hollander disposition site in the Washington Park urban renewal area in Roxberry as part of the neighborhood homes initiative developed in collaboration with the mayor's office of housing to promote home ownership opportunities for the Garrison Troder
community. This particular project proposed by Windale Developers, Inc. includes 23 residential units across single family homes, town homes, and two family homes with 16 affordable home ownership units serving households at
80% and 100% AMI. Uh this particular project was tenatively designated back in 2022 and finally designated in 2023 with uh four final designation extensions of three month three months each. Um so since the last designation
um last extension, the con construction lender is currently awaiting confirmation of an additional MO funding source which is actually scheduled to be voted by the public facilities commission next Tuesday. Um so once that approval is secured, the development team anticipates uh initiating closing
calls and proceeding towards a transfer. Accordingly, staff is requesting a further three um three-month extension of the final designation through April 30th, 2026 to accommodate the final funding approvals and closing coordination. Thank you. I'm happy to
answer any questions. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board hearing? Seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks. Item number seven, request authorization
to extend the ten tenative designation status of the tenants development corporation for the development of parcel 22A in the south end urban renewal area project number mass R-56 located at 151 Lennox Street in Roxbury for a period of 6 months until July
31st, 2026. Scott. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board. I'm requesting an an additional six-month extension to the tenative designation for tenants development corporation or TDC for the redevelopment of parcel 22A located at 151 Lennox
Street in the south end urban renewal area. The board originally awarded TDC tenative designation in June 2018 and as and has extended the designation since the original vote to allow the developer to continue in their work toward helping us improve this part of our city. TDC
had initially proposed to develop a community center with office space for its headquarters. In early 2024, after continued conversations with staff and significant analysis, it was determined that the previously proposed project was not financially achievable given current market conditions. TDC is now continuing
a proposal that includes 100% residential use with 38 new rental units for seniors. In the last 6 months, TDC received BPDA board approval for the article 80 small project and submitted its applications for the mayor's office of housing or MO and Massachusetts
executive office of housing and livable communities or EOHLC funding round RFPs. TDC expects to use the six-month extension to refine the design with planning department staff, further refine the financial model, and continue discussions with MO, EOHLC, and Mass
Housing. We expect to be back before you in six months to provide an update on the project status. Thank you and I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Okay. Thank you. Questions or comments from the board hearing? And seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion
passes. Thanks, Scott. Item number eight, request authorization to execute a contract with Casablanca Services Incorporated for citywide site maintenance services for a three-year contract term and two one-year extension term options and for a contract amount not to exceed 527,400
for the initial term plus the contingency. Francis. >> Good afternoon, Madame Chair, members of the board, Secretary Pamus and Director Shun here today here today to ask for your vote of to award Casablanca Services Inc. uh three-year
total project. Uh the scope of services consist of furnishing all necessary labor, materials, equipment, transportation, and supplies and services for the BRA site maintenance services of the BPDA owned proposals across the city of Boston. The
procurement schedule was as follows. An IFB was released on 121 2025. We had a virtual pre-bid conference on 123 2025 and uh the deadline for the bids they were due on 1216
2025 with uh a total of uh four bids were received. Casablanca Services was deemed to be the most responsible and respons responsive bidder to submit a bid with the total price of $879,000.
Uh Casablanca Services is a minority owned business and are located at four Bennett Street and Everett Mass. Happy to answer any questions. >> Okay, thank you. Uh questions or comments from the board? >> Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor? I
>> opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks, Francis. >> Item number nine, request authorization to execute a contract with Uncle Sam's Contractors LLC for cleaning and maintenance of the China Trade Center located at two Hoyston Street for a three-year contract term and in an
amount not to exceed $645,858. Lauren. Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of the board, Madam Secretary, Director Chen. I'm here to present the award for janitorial services at China Trade Center located at two Boilston Street.
The selected company will be responsible for furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, and related services to clean and maintain the China Trade Center as well as to clean and remove snow from Liberty Tree Plaza. In response to an IFB issued on November 17th, 2025, the
BPDA received and opened 14 responses on December 2nd, 2025. Of the 14 proposals submitted, Uncle Sam's contractors was determined to be the lowest, most advantageous overall bid. The resulting contract of $645,858
will be for the initial term of three years. This contract will be funded through the BPDA operating budget and represents an ongoing operating cost necessary to maintain the cleanliness of the China Trade Center and Liberty Tree Plaza. I'm happy to answer any questions. You um any questions or
comments from the board hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh all those in favor? >> Opposed? The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks, Lauren. >> Thank you. >> Right. Item number 10 requests authorization to issue a determination waving further review pursuant to
article 88-6 of the zoning code in connection with the notice of project change for the proposed construction of 200 residential rental units including 29 IDP units, 66 car parking spaces, 95 bicycle parking spaces, 3,54
square ft of commercial space located at 445 through 449 Cambridge Street, and to execute an amended and restated cooperation agreement and an amended and restated affordable housing agreement and restriction and an amended and restated artist affordable rental housing agreement and restriction and to
take all related actions. Dylan, >> thank you and good evening madam chair, members of the board, director Shen and Secretary Paul Hemis. My name is Dylan Norris and I'm a project manager in the development review division of the planning department. We are here before you this evening to discuss the proposed notice of project change for the article
8B large project located at 445 to 449 Cambridge Street in Alustin. Previously approved by the BPDA board in 2021, the 449 Cambridge and two Emory project proposed two separate buildings across two parcels in Alustin. The Cambridge Street building would have had seven
floors and a gross floor area of approximately 31 131,000 square ft with uh residential retail restaurant service spaces approximately 80 accessory parking spaces. The previously uh approved two Emory Road
building would also have seven floors and a GFA of approximately 33,000 square feet totaling approximately 152 residential units across both buildings. Since the acquisition of the abuing parcel on Cambridge Street, the 2025 notice of project change contemplates no
longer pursuing the approved two Emory Road site and it will remain under its current uses. The proponent then proposes to consolidate the development of the project and replace the existing commercial and retail structures at 445 Cambridge Street to create a singular block development now known as 445 to
449 Cambridge Street. The project change will result in a new development totaling 177,000 ft of residential uses as well as 3,500 uh square feet of ground floor retail space. This notice of project change will also increase the unit count of the development from the
previously approved 152 units to 200 units as well as reducing the maximum parking spaces of the project from 76 to 66. The new project will also feature a diverse range of unit types from studios, one beds, two beds, as well as two bed town houses. Um, additionally,
eight of the 29 affordable units will be artist live work units. The project will also maintain its previously committed to community benefits and expand upon its previous in-ind public realm improvements, which will include 23 new public street trees, raised pedestrian
crossings on Emery and Rug Road, and a new designated pickup drop off zone for ride share companies that's not featured on Cambridge Street. The proponent team has also committed to continue to support the existing commercial tenants at 445 Cambridge Street throughout this transition in
short-term assisting the uh the tenants of Alustin billiards in identifying suitable temporary space elsewhere in Alustin that aligns with their operational needs and will continue to work collaboratively with Austin billiards to determine its preferred long-term location either within the development site or identifying and
evaluating long-term retail spaces elsewhere in the Austin area. The proponent team filed their notice of project change on June 30th, 2025, which was distributed through the Austin neighborhood distribution lists. The planning department also sponsored and hosted a virtual IG meeting on July
31st, 2025, and a virtual public meeting was held on August 4th, 2025. The public and IG meetings were posted to the planning department calendar and website. Email notifications were sent out to all subscribers of the Austin neighborhood email update list, and local officials and their staff were
also notified of the meetings. With that, I'll now turn it over to my colleague Ted Schwarzber to present the planning and zoning context for the project, followed by the presentation from the proponent team. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dylan. Good afternoon, Chair Roas, members of the board. Ted
Schwarzber, assistant deputy director for planning review. I'm covering for a colleague who's under the weather today. Uh first, I'll orient you to the site. Uh on the right side is an image uh showing the last approval and uh the proponent will get into more detail but
uh the fundamental change is that shorter building on the right is now part of this development site. Uh and the building will continue on at a sim similar scale across uh that site to the right. Uh on the light on the left shows a breakdown of the three parcels that
make up the project. Two Emory Road is outlined in red. 449 Cambridge Street is in yellow and then the addition is 446 Cambridge Street in green. I'd also like to note that uh to Emery Road in red uh was originally contemplated to serve as
uh accessory parking for this residential building. uh planning staff uh felt that this change to increase the parking ratio would have an inappropriate impact on transportation uh by providing too much parking and it would also uh displace an existing
towing business that operates on that site uh as it waits to re be redeveloped. So uh based on feedback from planning staff uh that site will continue to operate uh as a tow lot. Uh the small business will remain rather than serving as residential parking and
uh hopefully become a future phase on another date. Uh next slide please. A little bit on the planning context. Uh this project aligns with two key planning studies in the area. The guest street planning study from 2012 recommended residential development in
this corridor. While this plan originally envisioned lower density zoning in this location, that zoning update update was never undertaken. In the subsequent dozen years, projects were approved by the planning department, including the earlier iteration of this very project and
established a new contextual scale that tonight's project is consistent with. More recently, the 2024 Austin Brighton needs assessment prioritized increas increasing housing supply and contextual infill and transit accessible locations.
Planners note this proposal's consistency with both of these goals in its provision of contextually scaled infill housing directly on the 6457 MBTA bus corridor and within the Austin Village Main Street District commercial
node. Thank you very much. And I'll now turn it over to the proponent to describe their project in more detail. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. And good evening, Madam Chair and members of the board. I'd like to start by first thanking Dylan Norris and the Boston Planning Department staff for
their guidance and collaboration through this process. We also want to acknowledge Council President Liz Brendan and her staff for their engagement and leadership on the behalf of Austin community. Everyone's been thoughtful, constructive, and it's been apparently shaped and it's definitely
apparently helped shape this proposal. As a result of the review process and community feedback, the project before you today is stronger than when it first began. It now delivers more housing, less parking, and a cleaner, more urban response to the site, advancing shared
goals around sustainability, housing production, and neighborhood character. A key improvement has been consolidating the development into a single city block along Cambridge Street. This opportunity was not available on prior submissions. This new approach better aligns with the
city's urban design objectives by reinforcing the street edge, improving walkability and creating a more cohesive and active presence along the corridor. Finally, the reduction refle the reduction in parking reflects the site's proximity to transit and supports the
city's mode shift and climate goals. while while allowing more space to dedicating housing into the public realm rather than vehicle storage. Go to the next slide, please. As it was explained earlier, we are now
focused on the entire block uh of in between Emery Street and the street frontage. Now, the street frontage along Cambridge takes up that entire block. the the massing has grown slightly now that we have taken over the 445 project
property that was not available previously. Next, please. These are some existing photos of what's currently there today. Uh in the upper leftand corner, it's looking north. You can see the property
is up in the right hand corner of that photo. On the left hand side, it is on the on the upper right hand side. The the existing property is on the left. And then as we go to the lower pictures, we're zooming in a little bit more. The center picture really gives you a good
uh visual of 445 Cambridge, which is on the lower floor of garage. And on the upper floor, it's the second it's a pool hall on the second floor, which uh as Dylan referenced earlier, we've have met with the tenant and we are looking to provide some assistance and helping them
to find another location to to move to. And with that, I'd like to turn it over to our architect who can walk you through some of the floor plans of the building. Thank you. >> Thank you everyone. My name is Steve Makavitz. I'm with SCB Architects here in Boston. I just want to walk through
some of the um the changes that have happened uh and the opportunities urbanistically with the consolidation uh into a single um cohesive uh site. Um so right now we have the opportunity to do sidewalks on all all three sides uh along Emory Rug Road and Cambridge
Street uh to introduce sidewalks in a lot of conditions where we don't actually have them now. Uh so we're it's a range of 5 foot wide uh walk surface uh along Rug Road and Emory and then uh up to 11 feet along Cambridge and 9 and a half ft along the balance of Emory
over on the the right hand side. Um, we're also able to introduce meaningful streetscape improvements, uh, including the street trees, the 23 count that we had before. Um, we've also with the with working with city planning introduced a meaningful pickup and drop off area
over on uh, Emory Emory Road over on the lefth hand side near Cambridge. Uh, and what that does is it all allows us to have the opportunity for taxis, Ubers, and lifts to drop off uh and not have that happen along Cambridge Street, but to have a a safe pulloff uh off to the
side. Um, another uh component that uh kind of came through this process was on the northeast corner um to uh introduce a bit of additional green space um right at the intersection of uh Emory and Rug uh by pulling back the massing a bit and
creating uh some urban uh uh space. There's a tree planting opportunities and uh there also happen to be uh the front doors for two of the two uh town town hall town home units that we have on the project. Uh next slide please.
Um so uh so these are the the floor plans. Uh pretty straightforward. On the lefth hand side the ground floor plan um with uh the uh entire frontage along uh Cambridge Street occupied with uh real active uses. On the lefthand side we
have um the lobby entrance to the building and then uh the two purple areas adjacent to that going to the east are uh uh retail spaces along that furnage. So kind of really activating that entire um uh experience there. Uh the typical floor floor plan is on the
right hand side. Uh it's this rough U-shape um that has um double loaded corridor and then uh the units on that uh interior of the corridor overlook a second level terrace that's part of the the amenity package for the um uh for the units. Um we have the next site
please. Uh this is the uh comparison of uh the previous site plan on the lefth hand side that had the two Emory site um and the current site plan on the on the right side. So, it's it's that one contiguous block condition. Both are the
ground floor plans. Um, next slide, please. Um, I just want to point out, I guess, some of the highlights on on this slide. I don't want to necessarily read through all of them, although we can go back to it. Uh, it's the 200 unit count total.
It's a mix of one, twos, and threes and studios. um 171 market rate, uh 29 IDP units, um associated residential amenity spaces, um the ground floor retail like we like we mentioned before, all along Cambridge Street, uh and usable open
space uh on the tenant terraces on the second floor. Um and there's a rooftop uh tenant uh terrace area as well as uh balconies over on the uh Cambridge Street elevation. Uh next slide, please. Um, I just wanted to walk through some
of the elevations here. So, this is the Cambridge Street elevation. Um, again, the activated sidewalk uh all the way from east to from left to right, east to west um with the uh residential lobby um and the retail spaces. So, creating kind
of a real activated uh ground level uh experience there. Um we animate the uh the elevations with balconies uh both on the um within the the mass of the elevation and also on the east and west corners. Uh working with the uh the city planning folks of of creating
articulations that really kind of highlight those those corner conditions and make them meaningful urbanistic uh presence there. Um uh if we go to the next slide please. I believe this is the uh Emory Street um
elevation. This one's a little funny because it's a bent elevation. So, we're looking at the overall elevation uh kind of unfolded, but highlighting the first part before the bend. Um uh so again, one one thing that we're dealing with is a significant street drop uh from
Cambridge going north. Uh so along Emory Road, it drops uh about a full uh story. So what we're able to do is tuck um parking into that lower level. Uh and um as as you walk down that sidewalk condition, uh we introduce a series of
vrines uh art vrines um uh given opportunities to to kind of animate that experience on the pedestrian level uh with something uh you know beyond just the the building itself. Um so if we go to the next slide, uh this one is kind of the balance of that bent
uh uh elevation. You can see the little key plan on the bottom. Uh so this is where we have the um the uh entrance and exit to the parking over on the left and a dedicated um uh loading uh zone uh to the right of that immediately. Um and
then next slide please. And then this is the rug road elevation. This is where the two U's of the of the U-shaped building kind of uh project out. Um I think you know it it gives us the opportunity to give real massing relief by doing the U's. uh it makes it much
more interesting I think urbanistically to have uh those those ends. Um what we what we do is that we use the ends of those as an opportunity to introduce these mural pieces. They're fourstory uh murals. We're looking to work with a group called Boston Artist Impact uh as
a way to uh bring in a level of uh you know kind of um a a nice interest uh within that elevation as well as um doing the vrines as well along that that um as that sidewalk drops down along Rug Rug Road.
Um and then next slide. Um so the renderings I think you know kind of help tell the story a little better. So this is the one uh rendering looking along Cambridge looking west. Uh so we have kind of a good sense of what that ground floor retail along Cambridge
looks like. We have those art pieces along the two ends over along Rug Road. Uh and then using um the balconies, both the recessed ones on the corners and the and the ones that pop out along Cambridge as just opportunities to help animate the overall elevation and keep
it a little less monotonous. then using some material changes to to make a little meaningful um distinction between some of the massing elements. Um and I think the last slide uh would be uh another render view again along Cambridge looking back towards the east.
Um and again here it's it's focused on that that corner condition with the uh residential lobby uh on the ground floor. Um and I think that's >> Thanks Steve. As we wrap up, we want to emphasize our commitment to the public
realm and to Austin's creative identity. We plan on working with Austin Art Artist Impact to deliver a public mural on the elevation shown in the renderings. As Steve just mention mentioned, ensuring that the building reflects the neighborhood's artistic culture and contributes to the community
beyond its residential use. We are also making meaningful investments in the comm in the neighborhood through a $1 million contribution to the Austin Brighton Community Development Corporation. This funding will support housing stability, economic opportunity,
and community programs that directly benefit the Austin Brighton residents. We're also providing direct support to the Austin Village main streets to help strengthen local small businesses and reinforce the energy of the Cambridge Street commercial corridor. The project's ground floor retail will
continue to activate the street, expand local amenities, and support long-term vi vitality of the corridor. Additionally, we'll be donating to the pen penman road play area, as well as we are also offering the tenants transit
subsidies. Overall, this project advances the city's priorities around housing production, sustainability, urban design, and community investment. Just just as important, it reflects a collaborative and responsive planning
process and we are proud of the partnership that has brought us to this point. And in closing, I would like to apologize for not introducing myself in the beginning. My name is George Ledwith and I'm with Excordia Capital. My apologies. And with that, we'd like to open it up if there's any questions.
>> Okay. Thank you. Uh questions or comments for the board? >> Uh yes, Madam Chair. Thank you and uh thank you for the presentation. uh 240k in uh transit related subsidies to residents. Can you talk that through a little bit more? >> Yes, that would be a monthly transit
card or it hasn't been determined yet, but it is basically a monthly uh stipen that will be given to the tenants as long as they're not uh driving or or park, you know, purchasing one of the parking spaces in the garage. It's a uh tried to promote non-vehicle, non-p
parking in community transit. I think it's a great idea, but I just so I just want to get the mechanics because this could be something that that other folks do. So So right now you rent your unit and you would rent a parking space. >> I believe it's $20 a month for a fiveyear period for each each of the
units which adds up to a totality of 240k. >> That's provided that every resident takes advantage of it. >> Correct. And 20 I mean 20 bucks a month is that's not going to get you a T pass couple.
>> It's not meant to sub it's not meant to fully pay for the transit. It's meant to subsidize the the transit. >> Listen, it's I get it. Okay. So this would be to receive this a resident would have to not take advantage of a parking >> correct spot.
>> Or would they what if they owned a car and parked elsewhere? >> Correct. >> No. No. they own a we don't well we we wouldn't be able to monitor if they do own a car and park it elsewhere. So >> it's uh >> I think I think it's an intriguing idea.
I I don't mean so I I would just explore to see if perhaps there was way to grow that from $20 to um to make it more of an incentive for these folks. Uh there's you know appreciate the the artist live workspace, appreciate the heat pumps, appreciate the street trees. We've heard from a number of residents who've
mentioned Austin Billiards and I think you talked about it in your opening comments that you're working with the uh with the business. Uh what does that mean and are you helping them relocate or what's the future of Austin billiards because there are a lot of passionate uh uh uh pool sharks uh uh weighed in on
it. >> So uh Christine McMahon, our community uh contact did meet with them earlier in the week. We we understand that they do have a strong um idea to stay there and and to stay present. We do have some retail space on
the first floor that you know is a viable option if they are, you know, looking to rent in there, but it's going to be at a different market rate, right, to be able to support, but it's something that we certainly present to them and have them look at. Otherwise, we can help them with finding other
areas in in the Austin area to move to. Um, even if they were to move into our PL in into the new building, there's going to be a 2-year 2 and a half year gap while the building's being built. So, they're going to have to relocate. No different than the the towing that's in the back of the that's in located in 449, the towing company. And I think it
was mentioned that they're also using two Emory. They they they have been on a monthto month since I've been involved in the project since 2021. And they know that at one point they're going to have to move out. So, they'll they're going to move their whole operation. and they wouldn't continue to use the two emery as parking. Um, and the same with the
garage on the first floor. The owner of the building of 445 owns all that equipment. >> He would like all that equipment back. So, the garage owner, the tenant that's in the garage also understands that they're going to have to relocate as well. >> Yeah. And understood. Uh, but a towing company isn't going to have the same uh
passionate uh uh customers as a pool hall. So I I appreciate any conversations you can have whether it makes sense for them to remain there in the new project or when you say help them find another place maybe work with them because I do think it's a great resource. So I appreciate your commitment to do that. >> Thank you.
>> Um that's all I have madam chair. >> Go ahead. >> Additional questions or comments? >> Yes through the chair. Uh who um have you been working with any general contractors during pre-construction? Are you looking at any general contractors uh for this project going forward?
The the answer to the question is yes. Uh and maybe one way to answer it is that we are currently up through schematic design drawings. So through our years of experience as a developer, we we developed a budget based on square footage numbers. So we have now taken it
out to to some contractors to price it up to give us a overall number for the budget. Uh we currently out pricing it right now with two contractors. Uh we've spoken to a third contractor who's also interested in uh building it, a company we've done work with in the Providence
market or Rhode Island in the city of Providence, and they're very interested in looking at it as well. >> Thank you. And um definitely uh you know, responsible contractors in the city of Boston. It's definitely number one priority. Uh contractors that are um
associated with credited apprenticeships because you know that's a congested corner. You know, you have the high school right up the street. uh you have young men and women that you know potentially could try to join the trades that would love to be a part of that project. So we'll love you to take that into consideration. >> Okay. Yes.
>> Thank you. Uh additional questions or comments? Um the only other thing that I wanted to point out and to recognize is the uh contribution to the Alustin Brighton CDC. Um and uh they do a lot of you know really great work. Um so I appreciate
that. Um, all right. If there are no other questions or comments, uh, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. Uh, the eyes have it. Motion approved. Congratulations. Good luck.
>> Right. Item number 11, request authorization to issue a certification of approval pursuant to article 80, small project review of the zoning code for the proposed construction of a hotel with 96 guest rooms and four off- streetet pickup, drop off and delivery
car parking spaces located at 393 Cambridge Street and to enter into a community benefits agreement and to take all related actions. Stephen. >> Good afternoon and thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board, madam secretary and director Shen. My name is
Stephen Harvey and I'm a senior project manager at the city of Boston planning department and I want to thank you for your time today. The project uh the project proposal I bring before you today is 393 Cambridge Street located in Alustin. Next slide, please.
On August 11, 2025, the planning department received a small project review application from the proponent. The proponent is proposing to construct a 63 foot 7story um hotel with 96 guest rooms and up to four parking spaces. A virtual public
meeting was held on September 30th, 2025. The meeting was advertised and the local paper posted on the planning department web page and not a notification was emailed to all subscribers of the planning department Alston email list. The public comment
period ended on October 10th, 2025. I'd also like to mention that this is the first hotel being passed at the board that is net zero carbon compliant in accordance with the revisions to article 37. With that, I would like to pass it over to the review team leading with the
project planner. >> Thanks, Stephen. Uh my name is Elana HS and I'm the planner assigned to this project. Uh the proposed project is located in the Harvard Avenue Community Commercial Subdist Brighton neighborhood district. The site is located at the corner of Wilton
Street and Cambridge Street and is surrounded by two parcels, one facing Wilton Street uh and the other one facing Cambridge Street together creating an L-shape around the proposed development site. These two parcels are part of the 2021 BPDA approved project
Alustin Square um which you saw recently for an NPC and which will be a mixeduse development of rental and commercial space. Uh next slide please. The Brighton Guest Street study area uh planning study establishes a framework
and urban design guidelines for a transit oriented mixeduse district featuring vibrant community uses and residential development for the previously underutilized 100acre Brighton Guest Street District. Although the parcel under review technically falls outside of this plan study area,
the parcel is located right at the edge of this area on Cambridge Street, which is a key neighborhood connector. This study provides planning and urban design guidelines that have been taken into consideration uh during the review of this project including the utility of Cambridge Street as a north south
neighborhood connection and an active edge. The proposed project uh also complies with the Austin Bright and mobility plan by creating additional sidewalk dimension on Cambridge Street that aligns with the complete streets guidelines and improves mobility for all users. Uh the dimensions of the proposed
project while not align with existing zoning are reflective of the evolving context of the neighborhood and the activation of Cambridge Street of the Cambridge Street section of the Harvard Avenue Community Commercial Subdist. Uh thank you and I will now turn it over to Eric from our urban design team to
present the project in more detail. >> Hi, I'm Eric Boatright, the uh primary urban design reviewer for the project. Um, we appreciate the time and the effort the development team is committed to the design, working intensively with planning to refine the concept for the project. Uh, through our collaboration,
we've arrived at a solution that maximizes the project enhancement of the urban environment. Uh, improvements for pedestrians uh include removing the existing curb cut along Cambridge Street and providing a raised crosswalk and ADA compliant curb ramps at the intersection of Cambridge Street and Wilton Street.
The project will widen sidewalks on Cambridge and Wilton with design complying with our complete streets guidelines. The proponent has also committed to the added measure of coordinating the design um of this site with the adjacent uh project at 8 Wilton uh Austin Square uh providing an
additional pedestrian way from Cambridge Street to Wilton Street, providing more of a pedestrian network around the building. Um, drivers will be able to enter the site on Wilton Street, the less busy street, um, via an existing curb cut for loading, temporary parking, and valet parking, all located
underneath the building. Uh, next slide, please. Uh, the Cambridge Street facade features a main volume aligned to coordinate with the approved project to the west, creating a plaza at the main entry. From the main entrance, the building extends closer to the street with a secondary
volume that forms a curve around to Wilton Street. The top of this volume establishes a line around the perimeter of the building, breaking the mass of the building at the elevation of the seventh floor, uh, mitigating the building's perceived height. The bottom of this volume features can levers and
canopies providing cover for pedestrians and a well- definfined base for the main volume of the building. Uh, the ground floor will be uh, dedicated almost entirely to active uses, serving as a lobby and lounge for the hotel, uh, providing a new social amenity for
Austin. Thank you. >> Thank you again for your time today. Happy to answer any questions put forward by the board. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh questions or comments from the board. All right. Uh hearing and seeing none. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All those in favor? >> I opposed. You guys have it. Motion passes. Thank you. Okay. Item number 12. request authorization to issue a certification of approval pursuant to article 80 small project review of the zoning code for the proposed construction of 26
residential home ownership units including four IDP units, nine car parking spaces, and 27 bicycle parking spaces located at 1954 Commonwealth Avenue and to execute a community benefits agreement and to take all related actions. Dylan. >> Good afternoon and thank you, Madame
Chair, members of the board, uh, Madam Secretary and Director Shen. My name is Dylan Norris and I'm a project manager in the development review division of the planning department. The proposal before you is 1954 uh Commonwealth Avenue and article 80E small project located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston. Small project review application
was filed on June 30th, 2025. The planning department held a public meeting on September 25th, 2025 which was appropriately advertised and the extended comment period concluded on October 2nd. Since the conclusion of the comment period, the proponent has continued their community engagement
efforts by meeting with uh local community groups. Next slide. The proposed project is seeking approval for the adaptive reuse of the existing historic home on site and the construction of a five-story residential addition in the rear yard. The project
will contain 26 home ownership units, including four inclusionary zoning units ranging from a one and two bedrooms. Of the four units, two units will be made available for households with incomes no greater than 80% AMI, and two units will be available for households with incomes
no greater than 100% AMI. The project will also propose nine interior subsurface parking spaces and 27 secure bike parking spaces. The proponent has also committed to making uh sidewalk and public realm improvements, closing unnecessary curb cuts, installing new
street trees, and contributing $7,000 to the Boston Transportation Department for the bike share program. At this time, I'm happy to turn it over to Alana Hayes from the planning team to discuss the planning context for the project. Thank you. >> Thanks, Dylan. Uh my name is Elana HS and I'm the planner assigned to this
project. The proposed project is located within the Alustin Brighton neighborhood district within a multif family residential subdist. The project parcel is also within the green belt protection overlay district, the Aberdine Architectural Conservation District um
and subject to review by the Boston Landmarks Commission. The project is directly adjacent to the Chestnut Hill Reservation property which is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Due to this proximity, the project will be subject to parks design review per ordinance
7.4-11. Next slide, please. The proposed project has a long history with the article 80 process and the zoning board of appeal. This project history dates back to 2010 when a variance was granted on March 23rd of
that year. Uh furthermore, the design of this project was informed by its location within several overlay districts and planning study areas. Design should be contextual with the Aberdine Historical District and meet visual and and environmental characteristics consistent with parks design review and the GPOD overlay set
by proximity to Cottonwealth Avenue. The proposed project aligns with the outcomes of the Austin Brighton needs assessment adopted by the board in January 2024 by subdividing an existing building into additional housing units and adding several more units to the rear of the proposed relocated building
in line with the goals of creating more housing while preserving the unique character of the neighborhood. Thank you. And I will now turn it over to Marco from the urban design team to present the project in more detail. Thank you, Alana. My name is Marco Sanchez, landscape architect. I'm the
site realm reviewer for the project. The building is set towards Commonwealth Avenue and retains its historic retaining wall at the back of sidewalk. An existing street tree will be preserved and a new street tree introduced to reinforce the streetscape.
While the existing structure is moved forward to accommodate and a large addition at the rear, a generous front setback is retained. An accessible ramp is integrated in a manner that respects the architectural and neighborhood context to provide access to the site.
At the rear, additional setbacks will protect trees on adjacent parcels. The program includes off- streetet parking for nine vehicles, including one van accessible ADA space access through a new 12-oot curb cup. Next slide,
please. Can we go to the next slide? The existing early 20th century Spanish colonial revival structure will be retained and move forward on the site. Its port corsair will be reconstructed and move forward as well. The existing
building will be restored with a new five-story edition at the rear. Uh the addition will be clad and stucco to match the existing structure with additional Spanish colonial revival detailing adorning the addition though in a simplified form. Given the site's location in the
Aberdine Architectural Conservation District, staff will continue to collaborate with the commission staff as well as with the commission itself as we work through postboard design review. Thank you, Dylan. >> Thank you, Marco. This concludes our
presentation for this item. We do have the development team available to answer any questions you may have and I thank you. >> Thank you. Uh questions or comments from the board? >> No questions, Madam Chair. just a comment and that's uh one of my New Year's resolutions is to support more projects that are interesting and unique
uh not sort of the boxy ones that we often see. So, so well done to the team and to the uh design team online um for keeping that uh Spanish style architecture and building on it. Just it looks sharp. We need to be more unique in what we build in this city. Um and
it's uh just really uh exciting to see. So, I'm gratified for that and look forward to supporting this project. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Right. Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Right. Item number 13, request authorization to issue a certificate certification of approval pursuant to article 80 small project review of the zoning code in connection with the proposed project notice of project change for the addition of two
residential units located at 38 Hitchborn Street and to take all related actions. Stephen, >> uh, good, uh, good afternoon and thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board, Madam Secretary, and Director Shen. My name is Stephen Harvey and I'm a senior project manager at the city of Boston,
city of Boston planning department and thank you for your time this evening. Uh the proposal I bring for you today is 38 Hitchborn Street located in Brighton. On December 5th, 2025, we received the notice of project change MPC for the 38 Hitchorn Street proposal originally
approved on February 10th, 2022. The approved project proposed to construct a five-story building with 24 rental units and a ground floor commercial space and eight off- streetet parking spaces on a 3,976 square ft lot. In the notice of project
change, NPC filing, the proponent is seeking to add two rental units to the ground floor. The MPC would also rearrange the commercial space, increase the unit count for the originally approved 24 uh units and increase it to
26 units as well as eliminate parking. The notice of project change was posted on the planning department web page and a notification was emailed to all subscribers of the planning department's Brighton email list. The public comment period ended on October 10th, 2025.
Uh January uh it ended on January 10th uh 2025. Sorry, apologies. And lastly, I would like to thank councelor Breeden for her support of the project change. Um with that, if there are any questions, I will gladly take them. >> Okay. Thank you. Any questions or
comments from the board? >> All right. Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thanks. Item number 14 has been removed. Item number 15, request authorization to issue a scoping determination waving further
review pursuant to article 80B large project review of the zoning code with proposed creation of 66 memory care units and 41 incomerestricted residential rental units for seniors located at 434 Jamaica Way, also known as the Roger Bowford project. and to
enter into a cooperation agreement and to take all related actions. Camille, >> good afternoon almost evening and thank you madam chair, members of the board, madam secretary and director Shen. My name is Camille Platiccasta. I'm a senior project manager here in the development review department. The
proposal before you today is located at 434 Jamaica Way in the Jamaica plane neighborhood of Boston, an article 80B large project, also known as the Roger Bowfort project. The letter of intent for the project was filed on August 13th of 2024 and the subsequent project notification form was filed on December
20th of 2024. The plan department held an initial public meeting on February 6th of 2025 which was appropriately advertised and the extended comment period concluded on February 14th of 2025. Since the conclusion of the comment period, additional meetings were
hosted by the proponent team and another subsequent article 80 public meeting was held on November 12th of 2025, which was duly advertised and very well attended. The project received approval by the Boston Civic and Design Commission on December 2nd of 2025. The proponent team
went through an extensive coordinated redesign of the project in response to city and community feedback regarding the massing of the proposed building which was improved throughout the review period along with enhanced site design and access. The proposed project will be located on a Roger community's property
in Jamaica plane that is currently the home of a 66 bed licensed assisted living memory care community and a social day program for seniors with memory loss. on an undeveloped portion at the rear of the property. The proponent will develop a single building that will replace the memory care community and the social day program and
will add affordable housing for seniors. This project will consist of adding 41 units of incomerestricted rental housing along with that onetoone replacement of 66 memory care beds. The residential units include all onebs of which will benefit from Rogers Community's full
offerings of supportive services for seniors. At this time, I'm happy to turn over to Ford Delvecio from the planning team to discuss the planning context for the project. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Camille. I'm Ford Delvecio. I'm the planning reviewer assigned to this project. Uh, next slide, please.
Perfect. Uh, preservation of the existing front setback from the Jamaica Way establishes the primary organizing principle for open space, building footprint footprint, and site circulation by locating all alterations to the rear of the existing front yard. The design does not trigger green belt protection overlay district conditional
use permit requirements, nor does it trigger ordinances 7410 and 7411 for projects within 100 feet of the parkway. Nor does it violate ordinance 7412, which requires a 25 ft step back from the Jamaica way. Next slide, please. Uh to overcome the site's additional
spatial constraints created by the existing memory care building's large footprint, the new design places the updated memory care program at the building's base to allow for a secured courtyard in vital natural light. Consequently, the independent living floors have been shifted towards the southern side of the structure to allow optimize the layout while maintaining
high quality open space areas. The proposed projects use use mix, building design, and open space plan are consistent with citywide housing planning policy goals while being responsive to the local context, multif family residential zoning subdist, and adjacent green protection overlay district. Thank you, and I will now turn
over to the development team to go over the project in more detail. Hi, good evening everyone. My name is Philip Sad. I'm a principal at the Maleser Architects and I've been working with the client for the past few years on the site. So, this is an aerial view of the project of the site itself. Uh,
next please. And when we zoom in a little bit more, it gives you more a better idea of what exists currently on site. This is Roger House. It is a licensed memory care assisted living uh community. There are
two buildings that have been built over the past 50 to 60 years. The initial Roger house along Jamaica Way and a two-story edition below the text that says existing memory care. Part of the redevelopment is also the smaller house
that is highlighted in the smaller dashed area uh that is that sits along Buffford Roads. And all these two properties will compose the overall site of our project. The dash line on the right hand side is a 24 foot wide
easement to center street. Next, please. An aerial photograph of the context. It gives you an idea of how diverse the architectural context in this area is. It goes from larger uh town homes, brownstone looking buildings to seven
stories uh apartment complex into two families and single families. Next, please. So, a lot of us know Roger House through this iconic view of their 1957 building built along the Jamaica Way. Uh it is
not accessible by car, nor traffic, nor service from the Jamaica Way. Uh the majority of the the the entirety of the campus is accessible vehicularly accessible from Bowford Road. Next please.
This is a view of Bowford Road uh that connects center street with our site. On the right hand side is the parking lot that is the first part of the larger site that we are redeveloping. And at the end of Bowford Road is the entrance
the formal entrance to the site itself. On the left hand side are the three stories brick uh condominium buildings. Uh next please. And then as we walk into the site, this is how the 1957 building on the left
hand side appears as people walk up to it. And then on the right hand side is the two-story memory care that will be subject to demolition part of the part of the proposal. Next uh top top left side of the the slide is the existing conditions and you can see
that the site is significantly occupied with existing buildings. So in order to build new as a replacement to the aging memory care facility the client has on site, we have to build in the open space towards the rear of the site which is
called phase one and then demolish the twotory antiquated building uh that sits in the center of the site and then complete the campus in what we call phase two. In front of you the proposal is only for phase one. However, we
wanted to give we have been giving the community and the board a full view of the whole uh idea for the site moving forward. Next, uh because the program is complex, we put together this exploded exometric to
explain how things stack. The first three stories are memory care. They occupy a large footprint and they have the open secured courtyard inside inside the donut shape. And then on level four, five, and six are stacked the
independent living affordable housing on top. You will notice that the top two floors are significantly smaller than the first four stories. This has been the result of many conversations with the community over the past two years to really uh create a project that
satisfies everyone in the community. So that's why the top two stories are really set back from Bowford Road and they will not appear uh as from a pedestrian perspective. Next uh looking at the landscape plan of the
all site uh when it's fully built you will see Buffford Road on the bottom right hand side. It's the main access to the site as a vehicular drop off and visitors. We will enter the site through
this uh gateway and if drop the passengers on the right hand side where they will enter the building uh on the first floor. We've also highlighted a residential entrance along Bowford Road for the pedestrian only who people come
from center street and the tea and want to access the building. Um, in between the two, phase one and phase two will be a fully developed green space to be used by the building residents, but also just like the front lawn along Jamaica Way is
open to the community, this large courtyard will be in majority open to the community. And I say in majority is because parts of it towards the top of the page is a secured courtyard for memory care. And this needs to have needs to be secured uh for the security
of the residents. Um next, so if we start looking at the building and how it nestles into the context, um this is an elevation of the building along Bowford Road. On the right hand side of the top uh elevation is the
Forbes building that is our immediate neighbor, seven stories. Our building is four stories along Buffford Road, more in line with the condominium across the street. However, the recessed portion of the fifth and sixth floor appear in gray uh further back from the street. The
building is clad in in masonry, thin brick uh in a repetitive pattern that has been inspired by the architecture, the historic architecture of Boston. We've introduced the arches and the regular regularity of the windows again as a nod to the historic fabric of of
the neighborhood. the image the the section elevation at the bottom is the section through the site where you can start to see the relationship between the masonry building along Bowford Road and the existing condominium across from us. Uh the rest of the site uh is in
gray rendered which will be non-masonry in fibers and sighting. Next, a little bit more of the section across the site. Uh, noticing the relationships between the buildings, especially uh the the the the section at the bottom uh
where you see the three stories historic condominiums mirroring the four-story building that we're putting along Buffford Road. And then that's a section through the courtyard. That's the open space where that will be in majority open to the public.
Next site section, we have studied daylight and views from the street and from neighbors um uh apartments. The courtyard has been designed in particular to allow sunlight to come in
for the majority of the day for those who reside in the memory care. Next, and then the last fuse are the three-dimensional renderings that we have. This is from the corner of Bowford Road and Lakeville. Looking back at our
building, the historic condominium on the left on the right hand side, you will notice the planted buffer between the historic buildings and the sidewalk and how we have taken as well a similar landscape approach to really buffer our building from the street. Uh the
repetitive fluted brick expression again echoes the fluted expression of the historic Backbay and and the historic architecture of Boston as well. And the brick color is intended to complement the the deep burgundy brick across the
street from us. Next, that's a view from Center Street approaching our building. Again, in a similar way, how the building echoes what's um across from it. And you will notice that the fifth and the sixth floor barely apparent as a pedestrian
from the street. So, we have worked very hard with city officials and the neighbors to really come to this resolution in here. Next, please. And that's a closeup to the building entrance uh the planted buffer as well
as the the detail that is incorporated into the masonry uh that adds this richness and this texture to the four-story masonry building outside. Next, and that's my last slide. It's as if you are on the Jamaica way looking at the
1957 building on the the first building on the left hand side with the two um chimney like um protrusions and then phase two and then phase one which is in question in front of you all in the back and uh that will conclude my
presentation. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Um all right, questions or comments from the board? >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the work. Uh in my prior uh public service uh iteration, I work very closely with Roger. They do amazing work. Um and
clearly the need for critical care memory care facilities is something we need. So I know we all celebrate that. Uh it's a good-looking project, particularly phase 2. I really like that masonry and the curvature. It looks nice. This began when I was in office and I know neighbors raised a lot of concerns. Uh we had a lot of chatter
about it. probably the most I think I counted uh 150 uh uh uh individual communications we've received on this project. Um the development team has done yman's work addressing many of the concerns of the neighbors. So I wonder if you want to just very briefly touched
upon in your remarks or maybe someone from the department wants to but talk about ways you're able to uh address some valid concerns of the neighbors um to make this a better project that we're now seeing a lot hearing a lot more support from abutters. Sure, I'll try to remember two years of discussions with
the neighborhood, but initially the building was seven stories and it was 70 units of independent living and then 66 beds of memory care. So throughout this conversation, the building has been
transformed to really end with 66 memory care which is essential to the program of the client replacement onetoone. But the the density of the housing and the height of the building has been brought down from seven stories to six. However, the five and six as I said really
receded back and also the number of units and the density has really been reduced from 71 I think we started into now 41 units of senior independent living. Uh we've also discussed many with the neighborhood about the access.
uh their concern was um uh drop off and pick up along Bowford Road. Hence, we have enhanced the entrance off site uh on site. So now vehicular uh will drop off their loved ones or pick up people off uh Buffford Road to alleviate
traffic as well as well as trash and deliveries and all that that will no longer plan to be happening along Buffford Road but will be in the site just like the operations right now is functioning uh for the existing building. >> Great. And I think that I think that covers it and again um this is a very
very important project. I'm glad to now be able to have an opportunity to vote on it. Um, and I think that whenever we can any development team can engage in good faith with neighbors, you're going to get the outcome that we've seen here today. So, I know Chief Shen is always
interested in my favorite project of the meeting and this is it. So, congratulations >> so far >> through the through the chair. A quick question. Um, is this a 50 over one podium or is it wood frame or is it a structural steel project? It it it is
structural steel because it has memory care on three floors and then the residential could be wood but it doesn't we're exploring it as a full steel frame construction. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Great. Additional questions or comments? Um all right. Hearing and seeing none. A
motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you. >> Good luck. All right. Item number 16. request authorization to issue a scoping determination waving further review
pursuant to article 80B large project review of the zoning code for the proposed creation of 52 residential rental units uh 35 car parking spaces, 56 bicycle parking spaces, and approximately uh 3,700 ft of commercial
space located at 841 Morton Street and to enter into cooperation agreement and to take all related actions. Tyler. >> Good evening and thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board, Secretary Pyus, and Director Shen. My name is Tyler Ross. I'm a senior project manager in the development review division. The
proposal before you is 841 Morton Street, an article 80 large project located in the Madapan neighborhood. On January 8th, 2025, the developer filed a project notification form for the project. The proposed project consists of the construction of a five-story mixeduse building
approximately 66,527 square ft comprising of 52 units with just over 3,700 square ft of retail space on the ground floor and 35 parking spaces. The project will also provide 56
bicycle spaces for residents and 20% affordable housing on site equaling 11 inclusionary zoning units. The project also committed to 20,000 community benefits to the local community organizations. Additionally, the planning department hosted three IG and
public meetings January 29th, 2025, June 17, 2025, and December 17th of 2025. All of which were well attended and advertised in local newspapers. With that, I will now turn it over to Michelle from the planning division to discuss the planning context for this project before Derek from the
development team begins the presentation. Lastly, I want to say thank you to all the members of the public, elected officials, and city agencies who help review the proposed 841 Morning Street project. >> Thank you, Tyler. My name is Michelle Ye and I'm the planner assigned to this
project. The proposed project at 841 Morton Street is located within the squares and streets S2 main street mixeduse district. This zoning district was informed by the use and dimensional recommendations of plan Madapan which was adopted by the BPDA board in May
2023 and codified into zoning in May 2024. Plan Matapan was a communitydriven planning initiative focused on housing civilian affordability, improving transit access and creating active main streets that reflect the neighborhood's identity. The S2 Main Street mixeduse
District will help create a small to mediumscale mixeduse district near the MBTA Morton Street commuter rail station and promote a continuous and active main street through one of Madapan's main travel main travel corridors. Sorry. Plan Matapan also proposed expanding the
expanding Boston's green links to improve walking and biking roads to better connect to open space and neighborhood destinations. The proposed project supports this goal by creating the pedestrian path along the east side of the site lined with active ground ground floor uses. This path will help
create a safe and welcoming public realm as envisioned in the plan while strengthening connections to nearby open spaces and transportation assets. Next slide, please. Okay. Because this area was reszoned in 2024, the bar for zoning relief is high
except for maximum building width. The proposed project otherwise complies with all the updated zoning parameters for use and dimensional requirements. This project proposes a building with a 261 ft and 10 in which is well above the 150
ft maximum in the S2 Main Street mixeduse district. However, as the planner, I recommend zoning relief for maximum building width. It is consistent with the criteria of section 7-3 of the zoning code due to the highly irregular dimensions of the law. As you can as you
can see, the proposed lot highlighted in red is notably larger and wider than the surrounding parcels with a lot width of 278 fth 78 ft. Sorry. No other zoning relief is appropriate to reduce the visual impact of the wider building. The
building's design developed in collaboration with staff breaks up the appearance of a long uninterrupted block in a manner consistent with the planning goals. The proposed project will also bring public realm and sidewalk improvements, including the previously mentioned pedestrian path, which supports the site permability,
sorry, permability goals. Additionally, the sidewalks were designed to ensure consistency of complete street guidelines and will include many new street trees that will enhance the pedestrian experience. Thank you. And now turn it over to the development team to present the project in more detail. >> Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of
the board. Secretary Pis, Director Shen, Attorney Derek Small, uh, for the project. With me today as part of the development team, uh, we have the architect, Mr. Doug Stefanov, and we have the owner of the property, Mr. Akmal Moad in the rear, and I think virtually, we have, uh, Mitch Fishman
from MLF Consultants. We have Christa Lucas from Howard Stein Hudson, and we have uh, Natalie Adams from Verdant, who is our landscape architect. We're here today seeking approval for our development project at 841 Morton Street. And the project is to demolish
the existing uh gas station that's currently on the site and erect a five-story mixeduse building for 52 residential units, 35 parking spaces, and ground floor retail and commercial space. I'll turn it over and uh let the architect Doug Stefanov go through the
program. Doug. >> Uh thank you, Derek. Um, Madame Chair, members of the board, Doug Stephanov, architect with a residence and business at 93 F Street, South Boston. So, thank you for your time today. Uh, and thank
you for this um public process through the last over year, actually before the new S2 zoning was started, we started this project and adapted the new pro the project you'll see today to that current zoning. And with the assistance of the
planning department, we think we've come up with a nice 52 unit residential mixeduse building. Relatively simple. It's a platform. It's four over one. Um, adhering to all the zoning uh bylaws
except for the length. As you can see, it's a long site. It's a 23,000 square foot lot, which is currently the gas station. Next slide, please. Um, so just to briefly show you, it's been a gas station run by Akmal Moab
here present today for the 25 years or so thereabouts. Um, on Morton Street, very busy street as you you probably know. And uh, behind it is actually quite a nice neighborhood. So we or at least I think of this building as
providing some shielding and protection and for the neighborhood behind because the the three streets around it got become landscape. Next slide please. And uh really contribute to the neighborhood. So you can see here's our
our landscape plan done by Verdant uh architects. And we've got increased sidewalks on Morton on Norfolk to the left and Flint which is to to the bottom of the page. There's actually community garden across the street. So, as you'll see,
Flint Street ends up being a very nice pedestrian um street that's landscape trees. Our vehicular access point is on uh the lower right hand corner and the walkway that transcends
from Flint up to Morton is there on the right side of the page. Next slide, please. I'm just going to run through some um perspectives that I've done. Materials, we have a combination of terracotta and
porcelain cladding, brick, um vertical siding. So it's a a pallet of materials, you know, working closely with the planning department to scale down the building so it doesn't seem to be as long and you know monot let's say not
monotonous but um it has some variety to it. So next slide please. Uh this is the view on Morton Street going to the left and uh Norfolk to the right. So that's our primary access. So that's our kind of like our highest
point. We have commercial over 3,500 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor primarily on that corner. It's not dedicated as of yet. Um and we're going to try to landscape as much of Morton Street as possible as it moves
down to the the train station is just at the end of the page. It's about a 50- foot walk from the building, which is really very nice. And that was recently modernized. So, it has ramps and it's fully accessible. Uh, it's quite nice. Next slide, please.
There's this is the view of Mort from Morton with the um, uh, green link, if you will, that connects Flint to Morton on the left. There's 9 ft of gray change. So, that's the reason for the ramp system. Um, but that would be a
combination probably a gray a gray brick which you see. And the fifth story is pulled back. Bless you. Um from um the uh floor below to scale scale the building down. Next slide, please. Uh just some streetscapes which we're
all very very pleased with. So this is uh the view um on Flint. So there's a variety of both trees and then pocket landscaping, large bike room accessible right off the street. Next slide, please. That's our
commercial space. Uh that's our we have two entrances because the building has two facades. So this is the Flint Street entrance which we really think is the main entrance of the building. A spacious lobby and it opens to the commercial space to
the left. We have a twole garage. So drive-in garage to the right that then descends to the basement below on the commercial side on the left. Next slide please. uh some elevations. So, it's a mixture of one, two, and three, but mostly two
and threebedroom units. We have 12 three-bedroom units that are located on the ends of the building. Um the there's some singles just above the entrance where but they're it's like 750 foot single bedrooms, which is nice. And the rest are are two bedrooms. Has a a small
roof deck for the residents. Um, and lots of uh glazing windows and light and air for the residents. Next slide, please. >> Oh, and that's uh kind of the summary of um what you've already been presented.
Um and I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have. >> Uh thank you. Um any questions or comments from the board? >> I'll ask one uh through the chair. Um, when it comes to the units, uh, home ownership,
there's no opportunity for home ownership. >> Well, as you know, >> and I asked that, sorry, I just want to make sure I make it clear that I asked that question. So, maybe you can um explain to the public a little bit and reasons. >> Okay, Derek. >> Yeah. So, we've um been marketing these
as rental units. Um, we looked at home ownership, but just doesn't pencil out. Uh, the financing uh would be too difficult. And I know that Mr. Muad wants to keep the property and his family. Um, and so that for those
reasons, we were the rental instead of the gas station. I would love to see uh units over there because the gas station has changed names quite a few times. A lot of pain. A lot of pain. >> Additional questions or comments? Um, I
just want to, you know, appreciate and call out the landscaping and the trees and, um, you know, I'm really looking forward to I'm I live off that street, so um, you know, just greening up that street. Um, and, uh, also the concentration of two and three bedrooms,
uh, units um, again much much appreciated and, um, and needed within the city and in in our Matt Pant neighborhood. Um, all right. So, uh, any any other questions or comments? Hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All those in favor? I opposed. Uh the eyes have it. Motion passes. Congratulations. Good luck. Thank you for this next one. >> Okay. Um should we take it? We're going to take it. Item number 17. requests
authorization to issue a determination waving further review pursuant to article 8A of the zoning code in connection with the notice of project change for the proposed construction of 63 fully affordable residential rental units located at 639 Warren Street and to take all related actions. Camille.
>> Good evening and thank you madam chair, members of the board, madam secretary and director Shen. My name is Camille Platiccasta. I'm a senior project manager on the development review team. The expedited notice of project change we are seeking approval for this evening was filed on October 31st of 2025. A public meeting is held at the request of
an elected official only. No request was made during the comment period for the notice of project change. The comment period subsequently ended on December 1st of 2025. The approved project is an 81,000qt mixeduse new construction development with a mix of commercial and
residential units including 63 housing units which will be incomerestricted as well as approximately 2,000 square ft of ground floor commercial space. Open space and parking spaces for both residential and commercial use will be located behind the building. The change to the approved project is altering the
housing program from a mix of rental and home ownership units originally originally approved as 54 rental and nine home ownership units to all 63 units as residential rental units. This concludes the request. Council on the project as well as members of the proponent team are on to answer any
questions you may have. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh questions or comments from the board? Can you just give some background as to um yeah why the the change from from home own from removing the home ownership units? >> Um good afternoon madam chair, members
of the board, secretary polyus, director Shen, attorney Nick Suzula, McDermott, Quilty, Miller, and Hanley. Um very quickly, it's an all affordable project. Um the proponent included the nine home ownership units in uh this was approved in February of last year. So, um, after
they was approved, um, the mayor's office of housing in their funding rounds coming up, um, removed funding for home ownership units. >> So, in essence, the funding was not there. Um, so because of the financial challenges of they're they're this is Madison Park, they are an all affordable
housing developer long time uh, in the neighborhood and without public funds to build the affordable home ownership. Um, they still included the nine units. They didn't get rid of them. they just transfer them over from home ownership programming to rentals. So, they'll still be there, but that's the really
the only reason why. >> Okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Um, additional questions or comments? Hearing and seeing none. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Uh, thank you very much. Um, so we're going to do one
more. Item number 18. request authorization to issue director's determination pursuant to section 88-6 of the zoning code in connection with a notice of project change for the proposed change of ownership and the proposed conversion of 55
incomerestricted rental units for the project located at 1208C Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway. Stephen, >> good evening and thank you Madam Chair, members of the board, Madam Secretary and Director Shen. My name is Steven Harvey and I'm a senior project manager
at the city of Boston planning department and thank you for your time this evening. The proposal I bring before you today is 1208C VFW Parkway located in West Roberry. On December 5th, 2025, we received the notice of
project change NPC for the 1208C VFW Parkway proposal. The approved project at 1208C VW Parkway uh in West Roberry was approved for 55 residential rental units with nine um of those units being
affordable/IDP units and a maximum of 55 off- streetet parking spaces. The notice of project change um filing proposes an all affordable proposal with 55 rental units and 55 off- streetet parking. The notice of project change was posted on the
planning department's website and a notice not notification was emailed to all subscribers of the BPDA's um planning department's West Roxberry email list. The public comment period ended on January 9th, 2025. Uh thank you once again for your time today and
delighted to answer any questions from the board. >> Um okay, any questions or comments from the board? >> Um all right, hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll or no? All those in favor? I >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion
passes. Uh thank you. >> Okay. And so it is now exactly 5:30. Um so we're going to take a brief uh five minute break uh before the public um the public hearing. See Um, we're now starting the public
hearing session of uh the meeting. So, this is a public hearing before the Boston Redevelopment Authority doing business as a Boston Planning and Development Agency being held in conformance with articles 8A-2, ADB-5, and ADC-5 of the Boston Zoning Code to consider
the proposed third amended and restated development plan for plan development area number 50, 371 through 401D Street in in the South Boston neighborhood and to issue a scoping determination waving further review for the proposed 15story approximately 438 room hotel and the
changes to the existing hotel located at 391 to 395D Street in connection with the development plan filed by DGH Hotel Partners JV LLC on June 30th, 2025 and as described in the article 80B large
project review project notification form filed by the proponent on October 9th, 2025 and also to approve the proposed project as a development impact project within the meaning of section ADB-7 of the code. This hearing was duly advertised in January 5th, 2026.
This is a BBDA hearing on a proposed petition by the agency. Staff members will first present their case and are subject to questioning by the members of the agency. Thereafter, anyone who wishes to testify about the proposed project will be afforded an opportunity. We are taking support in opposition at the same time. So, if you're planning to
testify via Zoom, please take time now to verify that your computer microphone is active and click on the hand icon on your Zoom control panel. This will signal to the staff that you would like to speak. And once and when your hand is raised, it will be blue. If you're calling into the meeting and would like to testify, please dial star9 to raise
your hand. When I call for all testimony, staff will announce your name and allow you to talk. You must unmute your microphone and your webcam will not be active. If you are planning to testify in person in the boardroom, please line up behind the podium after the presentation is concluded and we will call on you. In an effort to
accommodate all who would like to speak about this proposal, each person will be given up to two minutes to comment. BPDA staff will indicate when 30 seconds remain and at that time please conclude your remarks so that the hearing may continue and others may be heard. Finally, the proponents are allowed a period of 5 to 10 minutes for rebuttal
if they desire. Uh the open public meeting law requires that we ask if there is anyone in the audience who's recording this meeting. Um you please identify yourself. >> Okay, seeing none. And also please note that no demonstrations of approval and disapproval from members of the public
are permitted during the meeting. Uh Tyler Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board, Secretary Pyis, and Director Shen. My name is Tyler Ross, a senior project manager in the development division. The proposal before you is the
third amended and restated development plan to PDA number 50, and large project located at 391D Street in the neighborhood of South Boston. On June 30th, 2025, the proponent filed a third and restated development plan, which included the proposed large project
located at 391D Street. The project notification form for the 391D street large project was filed on October 9th, 2025. The proposed project entails the construction of a new 15story 438 room hotel of approximately 160
160 grow square feet. The project's vehicular parking will be accommodated through the existing surface parking lot at the project site. And additionally, this modification will result in an amendment to the original PDA number 50, increasing the maximum key count from
510 to 530 rooms within the existing aloft and element hotels. Lastly, the BPA the planning department hosted two IG and public meetings on August 19th, 2025 and November 3rd, 2025, all of which were well attended
and advertised in local newspapers. The proponent also worked with local elected officials to garner support for the amended and restated development plan to the PDA number 50 and large project. I will now turn it over to Ford to go over the planning context before Joe Hanley
from the development team presents. Thank you to the members of the public, elected officials, and city agencies who help review this project. >> Thank you, Tyler. My name is Ford Delvecio. Uh I am the plan reviewer covering this project for Jason McDonald who's currently on the planning
department injured reserve. Um the proposed project will be will be the third amendment to the development plan for plan for planned area development area number 50 located in the south Boston neighborhood zoning district's D street neighborhood development area subdistrict governed by article 68 of
the zoning code. The proposed project is also located in the coastal flood resiliency overlay district governed by article 25. The proposed project is consistent with PDA50, which in turn is consistent with the original vision for a convention center district established by the Boston Redevelopment Authorities's 1999 Seapport public plan.
The proposed amendment will allow for a new 14-story hotel with a gross floor area of approximately 150,000 square feet to be developed adjacent to the existing hotels described in the PDA overlay. The new square footage added with the existing on-site would total approximately 478,645
uh square feet which is under the maximum gross square foot area of 899,000 square feet list in the second amendment. The second amendment does not prescribe other dimensional limitations to the overall site besides the mentioned GFA. No new uses will be in introduced to the PDA. The project is
subject to further design review from the planning department foc focused particularly on the compliance with seafood flood resiliency requirements. Thank you. And I will now turn it over to Joe Hanley to present the project in more detail. >> Thank you, Ford. Uh good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, Secretary
Paulus, uh Director Shen, Attorney Joe Hanley, uh here on behalf of uh The Proponent, DGH Hotel Partners, a joint venture. Um we're joined remotely uh with by Grant Nassiff uh from the
Proponent. Mark Rosenshine is also with me uh from Trademark Partners uh and our team who worked on uh this new hotel project. I'd like to just take you through um a little bit of a background here and then hand it off to Mark to show you how this comes together in Plan
View. Uh but before I do that, I I would like to to thank Tyler and uh and of course the staff of the BP uh BPD for all of their guidance on this very exciting uh hospitality development opportunity, the members of the impact
advisory group who served and helped guide this project, as well as uh the South Boston community and their local elected officials. uh in particular I know councelor Flynn was here earlier speaking in support and uh we thank him
for his time and his leadership on this uh it's a very exciting opportunity and just first to bring you to the site itself which you'll see uh on the plan up in the big bar there that is the Thomas Menino Convention Center uh just
beneath it is the lawn on D it's outdoor space uh the artery there is D Street and you will see in the uh redish orange circle. That is the site where we're proposing uh this hotel uh that's before you tonight. Next slide, please. Um this
is part of a uh campus, if you will, or assembly of property that is under long-term lease with Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Uh it includes two existing hotels which our client uh owns and operates uh that
you'll see there. It's the element in the aloft as well as the MCCA's surface parking lot and there is uh a section uh which we'll show you which is for the third of the third hotel to complement
the two that are there again that our client owns and operates. If you go to the next excuse me I will take you through a permitting overview. We are as Tyler indicated in a PDA that PDA uh
number 50 was adopted in 2013. Um it includes the existing Aloft and Element hotels which are completed uh long ago and and are operating as as great resources both for the convention center as well as for the community itself. Um,
so the PDA which was approved in 2013 contemplated this hotel, a third hotel which you'll see. So we're not proposing anything new. We're merely coming back to complete uh that which was contemplated and within the allowable dimensions of the PDA. So this is really
just to codify the development plan is consistent with what was already approved. We fired filed a letter of intent back in March and our PDA amendment in June. Uh just some quick program details. 438
new hotel keys, approximately 160,000 gross square feet. Uh 14 stories and 145 ft in elevation. And we also proud that this is an all electric sustainable uh hotel project. Next slide please. um
shows you how the 2013 uh PD8 approvals come into place. Uh plan right, you will see the element and the aloft and again that surface loft lot to the left. Uh next slide you will see in the highlighted yellow
uh is the contemplated site and again as approved for this uh third hotel which uh we're very excited to deliver. So with that, I will hand it off to Mark Rosenstein, excuse me, to take you through the plans. >> Thank you. Good evening. Next slide,
please. >> So, uh, as Joe mentioned, one of the important parts here is this is all on MCCA lease property. So, the entire campus with the two existing hotels plus the parking lot, MCCA, the blue at the top of the screen is the existing hotel. The bar at the bottom is what is
proposed. This is a pretty tight site as you can see. There's a a small footprint here. Right now it's sort of a quasi open space green area. There's not a lot going on. There's a transformer and quite frankly a storage container where they have some old furniture. So we'll pull that out of the way. Um the
complexity here involves a lot of the utilities, the existing generators and electrical gear sitting on that site that will be relocated up onto the roof of the existing aloft building and the new building built in its footprint. So in a lot of ways it'll be a public improvement. you get that electrical gear up in the air so it's above the resiliency level to create additional
sustainability in the in the overlay district. Next slide please. Um the key transportation components here as as Joe has mentioned there's an existing surface lot. We uh the proponent does not currently lease all of the spaces in that lot. So there are available. What we will be doing is
leasing an additional 75 parking spaces to cover the additional 438 keys. So trying to keep the number low of parking availability. We've talked to and and worked with the BPDA staff and planning on uh public transportation access, trying to utilize car share. We'll be
doing a TDM right there. We're fundamentally a convention center hotel and the idea is to use that public connection rather than having single occupant vehicles here. Folks will be arriving from those that do park and and come in to a new entrance. One of the key things we wanted to make sure was that this looks like a separate hotel
from the Aloft. This isn't another wing of an existing hotel. It's got to have its own identity. It's got to have its own front door. It's got to have its own front porch. And you'll see in the landscape and design, we've tried to achieve that. Next slide. Here you can see this is the the side of Anchor Street that we're on. Brand new
landscaping, brand new courtyard. We're managing that resiliency. The first floor of the hotel is is well above the existing grade. Thus, you can see the steps and the ramping to make sure that we meet that resiliency requirement. New plantings and street trees and really working to make sure that um it has a
front door. Next slide. Here it is in in scale. You can see this is from the the Butler Street side. The convention center is in the upper left corner in the background. That's the Aloft wants to be proportional in terms of scale and shape and massing to the Aloft Hotel with its own identity. The Aloft is a little bit more masonry, a
little bit more punched openings. We're trying to balance that with some glass and really provide an interesting architectural framework. We know that across the street, DHL and some of those loading and and transfer facilities are not long for the world. hopefully. So, trying to present a face that that looks across Butler and and makes it so that
that neighborhood can extend across Butler Street once that next block gets built. Next slide, please. Here it is from that side. You can see there's a a visual screen on the lower level. We really tried to focus the expense and the complexity of the facade at the public realm on the first two.
The right hand side of the screen. The important part you're seeing there is we're closing up and enclosing the loading area, which is currently sort of open air and visual to everybody in that neighborhood. Um, some grow walls and some screening to really make sure that this looks and feels like a publicly finished space, not sort of a courtyard
and and open utility space. Next slide. This is really the key from the other direction. So now you're looking from D Street as you were coming from the convention center down. One of the things we did is we pulled the face of the building forward of the aloft. So when you look down the street proud of that that plane of existence, give give
you a real sense of a front door and an arrival and make it stand out as its own entity. There will eventually be a brand and a flag. Obviously you can see we'll deal with signage and work with the staff on that. Next slide. Tried to work with and and really manage the articulation of this building and
and create some shadow lines and some planes to give it a good um architectural feel and a real depth to the presence. Uh the facade now obviously meeting new energy code requires a significant amount of insulation in order to meet either passive house or lead certification. And so the depth of the building facade is
really important here. Next slide. There's a visual of the front door. You can do the next slide as well. Just giving you a sense of the the openness and glassiness on the first couple floors to make it feel transparent and accessible. Next slide. Here it is in an aerial view. You can see we've we've also proposed a nano
wall on the corner so the hotel in nice weather can actually open up have an indoor outdoor space really allow that lobby and the guests coming in and out to experience the outdoor. Next slide. From the transportation traffic and access point of view again the loading
and unloading for the aloft hotel passes through and under this. So rather than being an open air loading courtyard, this building will help to hide that. We've worked closely with the uh transportation folks to make sure we're looking at how access around the site goes. Right now, there's a lot of one-way streets coming off of D Street.
They have been designed so that if the need were there, they could be flipped to a two-way, but at this point, everybody seems to agree that the one-way transportation component works best. Next slide. We will be making a change on Anchor Street itself. It has a very unusual sort of headin parking condition that I
don't actually understand why they did that. So, we're going to get rid of that. increase the number of spaces that have parallel park and really make sure that Uber, Lift, and drop off work at the front door of the hotel. Next slide. I'm almost done. Just a couple more. Um, actually, I am done. I was that close to the end.
>> All right. Thank you very much. Um, so as this is a public hearing, we're now going to take uh public testimony. So, if you would like to give testimony, please uh come to the podium. Good evening, Madame Chair, members of the board, uh, Director Chen, Madame
Secretary, my name is Mina Perez, executive director for the Carpenters Labor Management Program with the Carpenters Union. I'm here representing thousands of union carpenters that live and work throughout the city of Boston as well as dozens of general contractors
and subcontractors that build throughout the city of Boston following state and federal laws and provide our young men and women with opportunities to a career through our apprenticeship and training program. It is with pleasure we go on
support of this project. Thank you. >> Thank you. Madam Chair, Director Shed, members of the board, um Tom Ward, I live in the city. I'm a member of Local 7 of the Iron Workers. I'd like to thank John and Mark. Mark's
a proven commodity in my neighborhood, a professional. I'd like to thank him for the vision and um good luck in the project. I rise in favor. Thank you. Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board. My name is Daniel Daly. I'm a
lifelong Boston resident and uh also a business representative for Local 103 with the electricians and I'm proud to support this project. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh okay, we have any online green, you can unmute yourself.
>> Hello. Good evening. My name is Satan Green. I'm a business agent for the Boston Building Trades Union unions. We represent over tens of thousands of members and their families who reside in each neighborhood of the city of Boston. I myself am a proud lifelong Boston
resident. I'm raising my family here. I also plan to never leave largely due to part of being uh in the union and being able to share those benefits with my family. Thank you to the city of Boston, the planning department, members of the board. Um thank you madam for facilitating these important community
uh meetings. The opportunity for community voice to be heard I think is truly important. Uh this is a uh great project and thank you for the planning that goes into making D Street Hotels a good project. A good project is one that has community and worker standards. It
uplifts communities um and the values uh of those benefits advances communities um and workers altogether. all things crucial to building um strong families uh in the community. Um I'll end it, but tonight we speak in strong support uh of
this project and thank you. Thank you everyone involved. Uh can't wait to see uh the neighborhood get to work uh and the community get to enjoy a nice project. Thank you all. >> Thank you, Sitan. Chris Papis, you can unmute yourself.
Madam Chair and members of the board, I'm Chris Papis, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Lodging Association. I wanted to be here today just to let you know that the Massachusetts Lodging Association is in support of this project. It would be a welcome addition to the community and for Boston's
meetings and conventions industry. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Is there anybody else online or in the room who would like to testify about this project? Madam Chair, this concludes the public hearing. >> Okay. Thank you. Um so now we'll move to
um board question or comments. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um I obviously support this project. We need more hotel rooms in the city of Boston. It's a proven fact. It's one of the reasons why rates are so high. Does it have an impact on tourism? Of course it does. So I think this is great. Great location.
Um I guess my question is, and I'm sorry if I if I missed this. I was sort of reading some of the correspondence while you were speaking. Is this part of the aloft? Is this going to be an aloft hotel? >> No. So, it will be a separately flagged hotel owned by the same company that owns the element and the aloft, but it will have a different brand, different
flag, different check-in, different staff. So, it is >> it a known name or is it are these boo like >> we have not at this point made a commitment on a specific flag. So, >> so this is fascinating. So I So you're going to build the hotel and then I mean it's a great location and then
>> you're shaking your head. No. >> No. So So the way it will work is after you have zoning approval, you can go to somebody like Marriott. You work through you designate a flag. We won't start construction until we've designated a flag, but they won't designate one. If we don't have the zoning right to build it. And so that's the sequence. We got to get through this step, then we'll
pick a flag, then we'll build it. >> Fascinating. >> Both of those hotels are Marriott affiliates now. And our owner operator is as well. So, it'll be a select service, if you will, like more approachable from a a rate standpoint,
and we think kind of not only meets the need for hotels that the MCCA articulated regardless of a future expansion, but also is uh helps to take some of the pressure off the immediate neighborhood and and serves as an amenity for people who who live and and visit the area.
>> Okay. So, I guess stay tuned. Uh, should you get through today and then zoning and we'll see if my Bonvoy account will work uh will work. >> This is my new theory with you guys. Last time I went to you tell you the name of the grocery store. >> It won't be Joe and Mark's hotel.
>> If it's a Trader Joe's hotel, then I'm going to get you. >> Yeah, I don't think. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Yeah. >> So, yes, through the chair. I'll save my joke. But um with that um I just like to say um you did a great job. It looks
beautiful and it's you know a proud day when you see the labor leaders across the city of Boston um in support of your project especially right now when you see the lack of uh cranes in the sky and we definitely need projects like this to come across and um hopefully be approved
all the way through. So thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. our our clients really excited to be working not not just with the trades but also you may have seen in your packet that you we've worked with the hotel uh workers union is supportive of this. we've uh working with them and
obviously for the trades we're aware that they're also in our community not just building in the city but local 7 in South Boston and uh the carpenters with with leadership and members in the neighborhood and working with Lee Kennedy as the contractor who is very experienced in building hotels uh in the
region and in the city. So, uh, this is an exciting opportunity at a time where it's been a little more difficult to get some of these things out of the ground, but, um, we appreciate that partnership. >> Definitely. And yes, local 26, excuse me. Definitely. Uh, we're in the comments section. So, thank you.
>> Additional questions or comments. Um, I just had one question just because we got a couple of comments and, um, just for the record, um, there were some concerns about kind of signage. Can you talk a little bit about just the whole signage process and and Yeah,
>> sure. Uh, so two steps. One, excuse me, we had a conversation in the community was made very clear that electronic signage, digital billboard, those sort of things were not expected here and the language in the board approval in the memo is very specific that this will not be digital billboard, electronic signage. Um, we are expecting as a
hotel, as you know, the signage is important for wayfinding. Um, we have, if you look at the renderings, there's a there's a canopy there that has clearly got a spot and an opportunity as you're looking down D Street. And that's really the orientation that we're talking about. We're expecting people to come from the convention center. We expect the wayfinding to really need to be go
down D Street and recognize where it is. I think up at the top, also facing that direction, we'll end up with a second sign, which is consistent with the hotels in town. Um, not blinking pink neon or things like that. it will be appropriate but also really important for clients coming in for a first time in Boston to know where is the particular hotel they're staying and how
to get there from the convention center we were very clear with the community no digital billboards no electronic signs >> yeah and I just add to that too it's also in the regulatory documents that was important for the staff here and the leadership of the BPDA but also was a request that was made of one of the IG
members who was very helpful in the process so we wanted to make sure we accommodated that and and you know as Mark showed We're between D and E Street. If you look at it now, East Street doesn't continue south into the South Boston proper at this point, but there's a lot of planning and discussions eventually
that will happen. We're across from a a DHL warehouse facility. We do see us as kind of helping for that future revitalization, not just at our site, but in the immediate area as we look kind of uh towards the south, you know.
>> Fair. Okay. Uh any additional questions or comments? I had one brief one. I'm sorry, Madam Chair. I should have asked earlier, but this is really fascinating to me. Is I assume you're going to have a restaurant or bar, any any hotel of that size. Well, do you have a liquor license? Would it come under the Abutters Abuing hotels like a
>> So, in the lifestyle hotel that we're expecting, there will not be a full service restaurant. Go in and buy dinner. This is one of those hotels where you get breakfast. Yeah. Right. And so, there's a there's a very small food service. >> There is a bar every hotel. So yes, we would expect to have a separate liquor
license from the aloft from the element. It'll have a standard liquor license, but this is not going to have a full service restaurant. It'll really be the breakfast and snack and shakurerie and things that you have for just the hotel guests. So from a traffic point of view, that was also important. We're not
expecting people to come and be, you know, arriving as a designated single occupant vehicle or something like that to a restaurant here. As you know, there's a bunch of storefronts on D Street. That's really where we want the retail to be focused and and managing that to >> No, totally understand. But and obvious I would think to be successful you need a full liquor license. So is that
something so that you'd have to procure that on its own separate from even though it's a budding hotel. you look at the plans too in the roof there's a pretty good you know space and amenity location and maybe that's more for programmatic use but um as Mark said
also just to support obviously our client owns and operates the other two hotels but um some of those storefronts you know have have come and go and gone right so to provide more support for that and in and around the convention
center but also the neighborhood too. Good. Great. There are no other further questions or comments. A motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Uh congratulations. Good luck.
>> All right. Item number 20. request authorization to disperse $275,000 from the 1350 Boilston Street Project Community Benefits Fund
to 15 community and neighborhood organizations. Aaron >> Good evening, Madame Chair, members of the board, Chief Chen, Secretary Plyman. My name is Aaron Hawquist. I'm manager for developer compliance. I'm here to ask the board's approval to disperse
275,000 to 15 very worthy community organizations in the Fenway. There were 20 applicants this uh grant cycle and we uh elected to go with 15 of of them which are listed in the table in the board memo. So you have all the
different organizations and the attendance sums that we intend to distribute via grant agreements. Uh we ran the same process that we we always do for grant cycles. We um put together a committee. We review all the applications. We score them. We vet
them. And then we basically arrive at consensus on who we deem uh to be the most appropriate recipients at this time given the needs in the uh the community. Um so with that um I'm happy to take uh any questions that you may have.
>> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board? Uh hearing and seeing none, a motion is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you very much. >> Right. Item number 21,
informationational update on the Harvard Alustin Partnership Fund. >> So once again, thank you for having me. Um this one is a little different. So normally I'm asking for a board action to distribute funds. Um, in essence, what I'm just doing is I'm providing you with an update on the 18th year of the
Harvard Partnership Fund, which was created in 2006. It's basically created as part of the overall IMP um approval process, the 10-year Harvard Alustin um IMP, which was renewed last year. This is the second year of the uh 10-year
2025 IMP commitment. Harvard um unlike with our own internal grant cycle runs this um process by which they determine the grantees. We do have um one of our staff from community engagement um Grey Black is our representative on that
body. Um but Harvard runs the process um every year with members of the community with extensive outreach and um to electeds and community groups. Um so um usually what happens and I want to make sure that we all understand why this is
anformational update as opposed to asking for a board action. Normally our agency takes in these funds, holds them, Harvard runs the um process and then I come to you, I ask for the board action, the approval and then we go forward with
our own grant agreements. Last year, what happened was in the interest of time, Harvard decided it was best that they run the process, I asked for the board um approval and then essentially they just cut the
checks straight to the grantees. Um as opposed to our process, this is much better for the local community groups because Harvard just already has everything drawn up. they execute their agreements between the two parties and then they can just cut the checks.
That's what we're doing this year. Again, um I going forward, we're still um determining whether or not we want to go back to the old way of doing things where we hold the money and then do the grant agreements. But for now, we're just keeping things as they were last year. So for next year, you know, we'll
have that conversation, but I just wanted you to understand the context and why it is this way as opposed to the previous board memo where we hold the money in dispute. So, uh, if you have any questions, I'm happy to take them. >> Makes sense. Any questions from board?
All right. Um, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh, item number 22, contractual payments. I need a motion to pay our bills. >> I like to make a motion to pay the bills. I second that. >> All those in favor? >> Opposed? The eyes have it. Uh motion
passes. Please pay the bills. And finally, item number 23, director's remark. Um director sh floor is yours. >> Uh good evening, members of the board. First of all, happy new year. Um I want to start my report actually to update the board on uh two particular items
that actually were not part of the board agenda. Um, as many of you may know, earlier this week on Monday, I shared with the Roxbury strategic master plan oversight committee that the board would not I was got not going to recommend to
the board today to extend the tentative designation for P3 and Roxbury. As you all know, uh, we have witnessed over the last few years, the lab market has changed since the P3 designation was approved in 2021. And the lab portion of
the project was going to really provide the value to subsidize and enable the home ownership opportunities as well as a new home for Embrace Boston at the P3 site. Um our staff in the city worked hard hand inand with the development
team over the last three years to see if there was any way to make this project possible. But ultimately we all came to the conclusion that uh the financial realities of the current market conditions would make the uh project infeasible uh at this time and as
originally conceived back in 2021. Uh in the absence of a viable project at P3, um um we will also um receive an invitation from the state uh ma mass built mass school building authority to
actually enter into a feasibility stage of potentially bringing uh state funding to one of the priority projects for the for the city, which is the reconstruction of the Madison Park Technical and Vocational High School. Um and and as we were considering that and
once we got this invitation, it became very clear that P3 could potentially provide alternative uh options for the reconstruction of this building. Um we in some of the earlier studies conducted by the public facilities department um
we c we concluded based on the information that we have that if P3 was available for the reconstruction it could save as much as somewhere between 80 to $150 million for the reconstruction of this new school. So
instead of sending students across the city to other schools as an a sort of swing uh solution while the old school was being re renovated or demolished uh or paying for temporary um playing
fields um for you know in the area behind the the the campus high area. Um the community will now have a new option to consider uh how this site can provide a better design and layout for this new
school and also ensured continual access to the sports field and uh an uninterrupted and undisrupted uh programming at the Madison Park uh school. Um, I want to stress that at this particular point, the city has not
made any decisions, specific decisions about the Madison Park reconstruction project. We have been invited to a feasibility phase which will last approximately 2 years with the state. Now, a new a new community process will
start and be um be formed with the oversight committee as well as other community members to consider what is the best location and option for the school um in including options that would use either or or portions of the
P3 site. Um now I want to also stress that the city is still committed to the long-term advancement of wealth um and economic development opportunities in on this site. Um and of course we've worked
very closely with the community on this larger p um aspiration. I know that this particular news uh was very disappointing to many people um in the community including member me many of the members of the oversight committee
who've worked very long and hard with us over a now 20-year period um on P3 um but acknowledging the unfavorable market conditions that is preventing the current P3 proposal uh to move forward
um we are now actually working with the community to focus um on the current priority of citing the Madison Park School in the next two years. At the conclusion of this next phase, the two-year feasibility study with the
state, we will have a much better idea what part of the P3 site will be needed for the school and that what would be and what remains or what parts of the P3 that will not be used for the school together with the existing site of where
Madison Park is sitting on would be aggregated to a new development parcel. And we've made a commitment to the community that we will work with the oversight committee to make sure that we can have a proper disposition process where we'll be inviting new development
ideas that would uh incorporate embrace and other community needs that have been part of the current pre3 proposal. Um we've also made a commitment to the current development team that they will be invited back for this new disposition
process. So, um I'm ultimately hope that we can ultimately have our cake and eat it too, although we won't be able to do it all at the same time. Um and we hope that during the feasibility phase of the study for Madison Park in the next two years, the market condition will also
improve so that we can achieve the kind of economic development agenda that we see for the site. Um the second um item that I want to bring um the board's attention to is that uh the city actually was able to um
make a historic deal with the craft group uh for their new stadium proposed in Everett just at the border of the of Charles Town on the other side of the Mystic River. Um uh two weeks ago, the city agreed to a financial and
operational terms of a community benefits package um totaling nearly $48 million over the next 15 years. Now, this is just the 15-year benefit, the initial 15-year benefit. Um but an important component of the agreement
actually will ensure a perpetual annual payment to the city. Um because in this agreement, the city was able to actually uh secure a perpetual search charge on both the soccer uh games that will be
played there as well as concert uh tickets. And there's provisions within the agreement where there will be um adjustment to the search charge based on CPI for the for the soccer tickets but also that the payment um the search charge on the concert tickets will be a
percentage one and a half percentage of all of the ticket sales will go to mitigating impacts to the city of Boston. Um, we also secured commitments related to the project design review, local hiring, and regional transportation coordination. In addition
to these annual payments, the craft group will also make substantial infrastructure improvements in Sullivan Square in Charles Town prior to the stadium's opening and fund all public safety and transportation management costs for the stadium events. Um, this I
think is a win for the city, uh, achieved by an interdep departmental team led by our planning department. Uh, I'm grateful for Mayor W to Mayor Woo for her commitment to ensuring that the city reached an agreement that would appropriately address the stadium's
impact on Boston uh, for to per perpetuity. Um the next topic is is a a sort of bittersweet um topic for me which is that um I want to recognize that our deputy director for climate and coastal
resiliency and infrastructure delivery Richard McGinness will be retiring at the end of this month. Uh Rich began working for the then BRRA in November of 2000, 25 years ago, as a senior planner and since then has held many titles,
including deputy director of waterfront planning and deputy director of climate change and environmental planning. Um, under Rich's leadership, the city pushed forward on key resiliency initiatives such as climate ready Boston zoning to require buildings to have to be climate
resilient initiatives to specifically protect Long Warf and the Marine uh industrial park and the Charlestown Navyyard. Um, since 2000, our understanding of climate change uh and future flood risk has changed
dramatically and quickly. And Rich has continued to refine and adapt both his own knowledge and our approach as a city and as a and as a department to how to best protect our neighborhoods um and our city. Um, Rich led the charge to
revise the FEMA flood maps by expanding our flood regulations to include future flood planes. Um, he has also served uh and represented the city on many uh capacities serving on the Seapport Economic Council, uh the Water Transportation Council and the Boston
Harbor Island National Recreation Area Partnership. um we will be better off as a city for years to come because of his work and his long uh commitment to public service. Um we owe him a debt of gratitude. I have the pleasure of
actually knowing Rich from the first day that he joined the agency uh and really enjoyed his counsel and his advice throughout my own um uh service in to the city. I want to wish him a very best in retirement uh and a big thank you.
And I I also would say that uh one of the things not mentioned earlier on is Rich's expertise in the municipal harbor planning process. Um and um I I suspect that in the next uh years we will still be tapping uh into his expertise from
time to time to help us um you know um extend his knowledge to the next generation of planners in in the department. Um, I want to summarize uh this today's board's uh board approvals. Uh, there were five new development
projects totaling 460,000 square foot of development that rep that would represent an investment of over $240 million. Um, there are uh in these approvals there's approximately 120 total new residential units of which 56
will be total uh income restricted units. When these projects uh are finally constructed, it would put 450 trades people to work during construction and create over uh 300 permanent jobs and 220 indirect jobs in
the rest of the economy. Now, some of the highlights of course uh noted um was the first net zerocarbon hotel which I think is a landmark achievement and then of course um uh Mr. Mali's favorite
project, uh, the senior affordable, uh, housing project at at the historic Roger House in Jamaica Plane, um, with memory care facility. Um, I want to end with where Aaron ended, which is a summary of
the community benefits and highlight the disimbursement of $275,000 from the 1350 Boilston Street project, which I recall was approved back um, you know, over a decade ago. So the benefits of some of these projects take a long
time to actually acrue. Um and this um as Aaron highlighted that that there will be 15 community and neighborhood organizations in Fenway that will be benefited uh from this disimbursement. Um these organizations serve the community through senior programming,
environmental work, youth programming and among other important causes. Um, and then you also heard of course the report that you got with respect to the Harvard Alustin partnership fund which actually in some ways I'm I'm sorry to acknowledge that I was then there when
that partnership fund was was uh was established uh now on its 18th round and disimburing uh $200,000 to 25 neighborhood organizations as part of their yearly community benefits contribution. Um, and just I I think
that Aaron also mentioned that that Harvard over this 18-year period have disimbured uh dispersed over $2.2 million to over 60 organization um to the Austin Brighton community. So this is a really big um long-term impact
that the university has had on the community leveraged through our institutional master planning process. So, with that, I end my report and again, thank you. Um, and I look forward to seeing you in a month. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you.
Um, and on behalf of the board, I just want to for the record thank uh thank Rich uh and and his family for all the dedication uh that you've given to our waterfront, our our city um uh me personally and um and helping me
understand uh you know all the things that we're doing to um you know to to protect our city. So um so many thanks. Um and with that um I need a motion to adjourn this meeting. Uh motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh all those in favor?
>> Opposed? Guys have it. Uh motion passes. meeting adjourned and we'll see you next month.