Board rejects four-story residential building near Maverick Square as too dense

A couple hours after the Zoning Board of Appeal rejected a four-story, three-unit building on Paris Street in East Boston, it rejected another four-story, three-unit proposal by the same developer on Coppersmith Way near Maverick Square.

The board technically approved Joseph Trichilo's proposal for 2 Coppersmith Way by a 4-3 vote, but state law requires at least five votes for zoning projects, so the request failed. The board then voted to formally deny the proposal without prejudice, which means Trichilo can come back with a new proposal in less than a year.

Board member Hansy Better Barranza called for rejection because the building would just be too dense for the small site it's on. "It's maximizing completely the whole site, without consider of open space," she said. In addition to being just one foot away from a building to the rear, it would have a floor-area ratio of 3, compared to the 1 allowed, and would be 43 feet high, compared to the maximum of 30 feet allowed under its zoning.

Trichilo's attorney, Richard Lynds, however, argued that if any part of East Boston could support such a building, it's that spot, already one of the densest parts of the neighborhood. He said the building to the proposal's rear is a garage, not a residential unit and continued that the proposed building would right across the street from the waterfront commercial district, where 55-foot-high buildings are allowed. He added that the building would sit next to another residential building that is currently three stories but which an earlier zoning board approved for the addition of a fourth floor.

Board member Katie Whewell voted for the proposal. "It adds three units to the neighborhood," she said. "We need housing."

In addition to Whewell, board Chairwoman Sherry Dong and members Giovanni Valencia and David Aiken voted for the propsal. Barranza and Barranza and board members Raheem Shephard and Alan Langham voted against.