The Orient Heights Neighborhood Council (OHNC) voted Monday night 15 to 7 against a developer’s plans to create a row of efficiency units along Walley Street near Bennington Street.
Developer MG2, who is already planning a 38-unit development at the end of Walley Street, proposed building eight townhouses at 3 Walley Street. The property includes an existing home and a parcel of land behind the MBTA’s Blue Line tracks near Suffolk Downs station.
According to MG2’s attorney Richard Lynds, his client would raze the home at 3 Walley St. and construct the row of townhouses. The efficiency units, Lynds explained, would range from 710 sq. ft. for the the one-bedroom units and 890 sq. ft. for the two bedroom units. All units would include a top floor master suite and a deck.
Lynds said there is no parking proposed for the project because MG2 plans to make use of the project’s close proximity to two MBTA Blue Line stations– Suffolk Downs and Orient Heights.
This was the second OHNC meeting regarding the proposal and aside from some concerns over the project having no parking proposed and the architectural style of the units, OHNC members seemed to like the fact it was a small project and the height of the development was relatively low at two stories. With that said, members still voted against the project.
Last Thursday the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) approved MG2’s plans at 11-19 Walley St. That project, closer to the Suffolk Downs MBTA station further down Walley Street, was scaled down from its original proposal in 2016 and received OHNC approval last year.
The proposed project consists of the redevelopment of a 14,993 square-foot industrial site situated at 11-19 Walley St. near the Suffolk Downs station.
The project will consist of the 38 market rate rental units with 25 off-street parking spaces located in a garage under the building that will be accessed from Walley Street. After a series of community meetings the developer decided to reduce the height of the building from five to four stories and reduce the number of units from 48 units to 38 units.
“The project will create pedestrian activity along Walley Street with improvements including new sidewalks, street trees, and the installation of new lighting along the building perimeter to improve visibility and pedestrian safety,” wrote the BPDA board in its ruling. “The project will contribute $10,000 worth of landscaping and improvements to the traffic island known as Bonito Square, located across the street from the site.”