Developers looking to convert a 60,089 square foot parcel in an industrial corner of Charlestown between Sullivan Square and Somerville into a 25-story mixed-use development recently filed a Draft Project Impact Report (DPIR) with the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
The filing for the project at 1 Mystic Ave. triggered a public comment period under the BPDA’s Article 80 Large Project Review and residents can submit comments until January 26 at http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/one-mystic-avenue.
Since filing a Project Notification Form (PNF) with the BPDA back in January the developers, One Mystic Owner, have made changes to the project after meetings with the community and BPDA.
When the developer filed its PNF, they looked to construct 695 residential units in a 29 story building with ground food commercial space. The updated plans look to construct a 478,880-gross-square-foot, 25-story building with 639 units on the site currently occupied by the BellSimons Cos. (an HVAC, refrigeration, and plumbing service), Flynn’s Auto Salvage, a transformer building, and a cell tower.
According to the DPIR the building will have studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, as well as 37 three-bedroom apartments added to accommodate families. In their filing the developers also call for 17 percent of the units to be income-restricted under the BPDA’s Inclusionary Development Program units. This is five percent more income-restricted units than required and first pitched to the community last winter.
“Since filing the PNF, the Project team has continued to seek out input from the wider community and City agencies and adjusted the Project based on questions and concerns raised by these groups,” said Stephanie Kruel on behalf of One Mystic Owner. “The Project Site has been increased by approximately 33 percent by incorporating a portion of 3 Sherman Street that had previously been excluded. The size of the building has been reduced in size by approximately 15 percent to 478,880 square feet, with a commensurate 5-story reduction in height, 56 fewer residential units, and 72 fewer parking spaces. The new program will include 639 residential dwelling units above an approximately 11,000 square-foot ground-level retail space. The Project Team looks forward to continuing to work with the BPDA and its staff during the Project review process.”
At past meetings with the Charlestown Neighborhood Council members and residents expressed their opposition to the height of the building that would dwarf most other buildings in the area.