Thread by @DotGrow

🚨TONIGHT🚨 @BostonPlans is hosting a public mtg @ 6pm abt 3 Aspinwall Rd #Dorchester
A 4 story building w 34 homes has already been approved, but the numbers don't work due to rising costs & interest rates. The developer is asking to increase to 45 condos bostonplans.org/projects/devel…

The parcel is the site of a former nursing home which has sat abandoned in Codman Square since 1995. Adding a 5th floor would mean being able to create 11 more homes in the same footprint, including 2 additional income-restricted below market rate units.

There are a mix of studio/1BR/2BR units in the proposal.
Way too many car parking spaces (29) for an already congested area, but otherwise great infill without displacement.
@DotNews had a write up about the proposed change a couple of weeks ago: dotnews.com/2023/aspinwall…

We will be live-tweeting (unrolled thread to be posted to 🧵s/🟦⛅️ after it's done) & you can register to attend yourself via zoom at

The Small Project Change comment period is open until 11/3. bostonplans.org/news-calendar/…
bostonplans.org/projects/devel…

Logged in & in the waiting room.

Usual formalities:
Everything not in quotation marks is a good-faith paraphrase
I regret I can’t do ALT text descriptions while going fast
I will make homophone mistakes
Stuff in [brackets] is DGT/my commentary
-- = “new attendee speaker”

Coming to you from @BostonPlans public meeting for a proposed change to a previously approved proposal until Article 80 (Small Project Review) -- increase from creating 34 to 45 homes to make the project financially viable. More details and link to project page & news coverage ⬆️

The developers proposing this project are Solmon & Rokeya Chowdhury, owners if @Shanti_boston. Their real estate development efforts were profiled in this @DotNews piece. dotnews.com/2021/shanti-ow…

These entrepreneurs have leveraged their multiple restaurants' success to underwrite the creation of "affordable development [as] part of a strategy to build pathways to economic autonomy for local residents" as part of an effort to create generational wealth in the community.

In a genuinely rare glitch for these things, the meeting apparently is scheduled & noticed for 6:30, though the registration confirmation said 6. I've confirmed I am not in waiting room limbo and will start up again at the originally scheduled 6:30. Refresh your beverages, etc.

Ok, now actually in. Quinn Valcich from BPDA is the Project Manager facilitating this meeting.
Beth McDougal -- Architect
Mike Ross -- Attorney
Solmon Chowdhury -- applicant
Going through the usual meeting opening/etiquette slides.

Proposal to shift project bc of changing conditions re cost of money for financing (interest rates) and cost of construction (both materials and labor); many projects now are either entirely stalled or doing what we are doing, seeking changes to make it economical to get it built

Seeking to add an additional floor at the height of 11' taller and 11 more homes. Everything the same other than added bike storage and the 2nd floor (pictured is duplicated).

On the edge of a district where the massing is allowed to be higher. Technically 3F, but right on the edge. City councilors have weighed in to change the change request: see highlighted shift of unit mix, at politicians' request.

[Clr Worrell does not seem to believe the data abt what size units are in shortest supply so insisted on at least a couple of "family sized units," 2 3BRs, so we also lost 2 units from the initial proposed change, now at 43 instead of 45 new homes in the revised proposal.]

For financial viability, the choice was to either to increase density/add units or eliminate the 29 underground parking spaces which are very very expensive to build. Because during the original process commenters made including this parking a v high priority, this is the ask.

Also the facade presentation has been adjusted a little, because of feedback from Clr Worrell & BPDA. Proposal now color palette on right rather than the left. [not fully rendered yet with trees/sky/etc] w different materials & windows. darker colors back, white plank to front.

When the project started, Clr. Campbell was the councilor for D4 and her support was a significant boon then. Now with a new City Councilor (Worrell), he had a different opinion about whether the proposal as previously approved fit into the neighborhod.

Naoise McDonnell Dot BPDA liaison is also here. On to resident comment.

-- What are the residents getting out of this? I haven't heard anything we are getting for these changes. And no one cares about the color. That doesn't affect anything. Challenges whether Washington is ...

a real commercial corridor, whether small biz would really benefit from this?
Atty -- We wouldn't be here if we didn't have to be. We know you don't want to see us again. But we can't get it built the way it was orig approved. The alternative if failure/nothing getting built.

same resident -- but you added more units and didn't add more parking for them; is the green space the same?
Architect: not really possible to fit more in the garage; footprint is exactly the same, the rendering just doesn't show landscaping yet because we just changed it

-- Bought house next door in 2020. These add'l units are just more clutter; you need add more parking for those. You say more people will support the business district more. I don't agree with that, "more people can just be more problems." Would you want 11' higher next to you?

Atty: what about if we stepped it down next to your bldg? What about if we didn't put the parking underground and put it on the first floor? We need the additional floor of housing to pay for the underground parking.

He would have to talk to his people.

-- This is sterile. Not for the community, it is just for people who want to travel into the city; thinks it looks commercial, not in line with the neighborhood. Also, started with discussion of how parking is at a problem already and you are not providing us with anything here.

She separately expresses concern about "only" 14% IDP.

Atty: Clarifies she hates both color schemes, not just one. Reviews IDP units and 80-100% AMI income qualification. Invites developer to speaks to how he prices the market rate units at naturally low market rate prices.

-- Neighbor wants to know what happens if the neighbors don't support it and the city doesn't approve it, what happens?
Atty -- He hopes he can figure out a way to get support from the neighbors, but if he can't it doesn't get built.

-- Member of our steering committee speaks to housing crisis, and solid reputation of this developer, doubts highly anyone is playing games. If the height is the problem, then by all means eliminate the underground parking in this transit rich neighborhood. Worries excessive ...

trying to have it both ways will just lead to the parcel continuing to stay vacant and derelict, like it has been since 1995.

-- Next resident also opposed to more height. Says they should make the eventual residents pay higher prices to cover the cost of the underground parking

Almost everyone who has spoken so far is a Aspinwall St resident.

-- Next up resident nearby echoes our Steering Comm member; he's excited to have new neighbors, incl a few affordable units; appreciates the local developer & his rep. Knows there is concern on parking & shadows

Defers to abutters re shadows, but as to parking, "are we trying to be a neighborhood of people in this neighborhood, or a neighborhoods of metal boxes?" I want more people and whatever can get us these new homes, incl 6 IDP, we should support.

-- If we don't want 43 units, why will nothing happen? Why won't you just build fewer like we prefer?

Atty: explains the realities of bank financing and ability to break even on the actual costs of building the project.

[There are ~50 people in this zoom]
-- What are the costs going to be for these condos? Concern for the people already in the neighborhood and what they might be able to afford, if they make enough to even buy a 1BR here?
Applicant: This has taken so long and not sure how long

still to go. Has become unstable to predict until we know when we will be building, though it will certainly be more than the number we had in mind when first proposed several years ago. Tells abt his own experience, being able to leverage equity in his home to open his small biz

His whole thing is about wanting to create more accessible first time home opportunities and build generational wealth.
-- Next person from Aspinwall doesn't think the additional 9 units is a big deal, but what can be done to give first preference to folks already here?

Also wonders if resident-only parking here would help?

Atty -- Fair Housing law means the narrowest preference we can do is Boston, not Dorchester or this neighborhood specifically. BUT we can use a local broker, advertise aggressively locally, and other legal means of marketing

to folks already here.
Developer: He lives in the neighborhood & attends lots of civics and on Board of Nubian Sq Main Streets. He sees developers from out of town who are not thoughtful about marketing. He ALWAYS works w local broker to maximize pre-sales to those already here.

Speaks to success with this on other projects, including in Grove Hall area.
-- Lives just on the other side of Washington. Thinks this development is a great use of property that has sat empty for a really long time. We can take advantage of how vibrant Washington St is & expand

Says she understands living right next to a new development can be a concern and there are unknowns, but there are also risks and problems with continued vacant lot status. Folks seem to really want a sale price right now, but we have to understand how much ...

things have changed since he started years ago and that there are potential years ahead before the final cost is known. "I want more options for people to be able to buy good quality homes in a neighborhood that I love." and urges BPDA approval.

Atty -- Shared the IDP unit anticipated costs. It will move up by some percentages before sale, but the current numbers bostonplans.org/housing/income…

-- Were there IDP units before or are you just adding them to get us to say yes to this change?
Atty -- Previously 4 units which when approved was 11+% IDP (which was then the standard); now 6 units for 13+% (which is now the standard).

-- Resident says those on Aspinwall will be most affected, respectfully strongly disagrees with those in support not on this specific street.
-- Echoes prior comment; says more units in this proposal than existing houses on Aspinwall; every condo household will have 2 cars

[note that 3 the comments above were second pass of people who had already spoken]
No further hands.
Atty: Thank you for the constructive feedback and a respectful meeting.
BPDA: Comment portal open through 11/3

Please comment @


/fin bostonplans.org/projects/devel…

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