Owner of the convenience store and laundromat on Maverick Street, Joseph Nogueria, plans to convert what he calls an ‘underutilized’ commercial space into a five-story, 55-unit housing development.
At Monday night’s Gove Street Citizens Association meeting Nogueira’s attorney, Nicholas Zozula said his client has dubbed his project ‘development without displacement’ because he plans to bring back the laundromat and convenience store if the tenants want to return after construction is complete. The two tenants, Maverick Street Market and Swish & Swash Laundromat, are popular businesses in the area.
“In fact we spent about an hour at the site last week,” said Zozula. “We see how many people in the community frequent these two businesses and how important they are to the community. However, we feel that this project will not only give these two businesses a modern home, but will also add to their long term viability in the neighborhood.”
Architect Joel Bargmann provided some updates to GSCA members. Bargmann said since the team’s first presentation to the community Nogueria has made some changes.
First, the fifth floor would be stepped back to create more continuity with the roof lines on Maverick Street. The step back would also give the allusion of a lower height when looking at the building from the street.
Bargmann added that after listening to the community, Nogueria has moved the entrance to the 34-space parking lot from the left side of the building to the right. Bargmann explained that residents expressed concern that it made more sense to have the entrance to the parking accessible for vehicles traveling down Frankfort Street to the building. With Maverick Street being a one-way, potential tenants would have not been able to access the garage from Frankfort and would have to turn right, then left, go around the block and back down Maverick Street. Residents at the last meeting said it just made more sense, from an environmental standpoint, to move the garage entrance and cut down on vehicles having to circle the area.
Overall, the mixed use project is situated on an approximately 18,000 square-foot parcel and will include 55 units of housing with seven affordable units, 34 off-street parking spaces, a courtyard for the two businesses, patio and balconies.
In order to soften the garage the developer has planned a roof decked open space or ‘green roof’ concept over the garage in order to hide the cars from view from abutters living around the building on Maverick and Everett streets.
Because of the size and scope of the project it is subjected to Article 80 Small Project Review by the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA).
Despite some changes to the project residents still had concerns over the building’s height and density and the fact that there were less off-street parking spaces than units.