Board approves condos nestled into the side of Tommy's Rock in Roxbury

The Zoning Board of Appeal this week approved plans for a four-story, 40-unit condo building at Fountain and Regent streets in Roxbury.

All of the units would be marketed to first-time home buyers, with half to be sold to people making no more than 80% of the Boston area median income and the other half sold to people making up to 100% of that level.

Nick Zozula, attorney for developer Oxbow Partners in the Back Bay, told the board this is possible because the BPDA owns the long vacant site - as part of its 1960s Washington Park Urban Renewal Area - and agreed to sell it to Oxbow at a reduced price in exchange for making the entire building "affordable." Oxbow is also hoping to win affordable-housing grants from the city Department of Neighborhood Development and the state's MassHousing.

Zozula said the site presented some development challenges because of fairly steep slope up from the street.

The building will have 41 parking spaces. A solar-panel array is planned for the roof.

The BPDA board approved the project in December.

BPDA documents on the proposal.