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Lowell Historic Board approves 10-unit townhouse project in The Acre
Summary
The Lowell Historic Board approved a historic permit May 12 for a 10-unit townhouse development in The Acre neighborhood after reviewing exterior materials, site work and parking. Board members praised the design and noted details including deep pilings, cultivated stone veneer and a planning-board-approved landscaping plan.
The Lowell Historic Board on May 12 approved a historic permit for a 10-unit townhouse development on a vacant lot in The Acre neighborhood.
Applicant David Daley, 40 Lillian Street in Lowell, identified himself as the developer and described the proposal as a 10-unit project made up of two multi-unit buildings — a six-unit building in the rear and a four-unit building in front — with each unit reported as three bedrooms. He told the board the site had never previously been developed, sits on ledge and required significant foundations work: “we had to drill pilings above a hundred feet into the ground, all along that back wall because of the 25 foot drop,” he said. Daley said the project team is using an engineered wood-fiber product from LP for siding, simulated divided-light windows (SDLs) and a cultured-stone veneer at the foundation. He also said the landscaping plan was provided to and approved by the Planning Board.
The project team answered board questions about parking and massing. Board member Deb asked about parking capacity and whether the driveway can accommodate a second car; Daley replied there will be parking in driveways, in attached garages and in front of the four-unit building. Board members also discussed a blank façade area near the primary public entrance and suggested taller plantings or a window if the interior layout allows. Board members generally praised the architectural choices: one member said the rendering “could have been there for 50 years” and another said the design would be a catalyst for added homeownership in the neighborhood.
Staff comments placed the permit in the city’s broader housing strategy for The Acre. A planning staff speaker said the city has used the Acre urban-renewal designation and disposition of city-owned parcels to encourage residential development and that townhouse infill is consistent with those efforts.
The board approved the application on a voice vote after discussion. Board member Deb moved to approve “as discussed,” and members responded with aye votes. The board closed the public hearing and then returned to other business.
The decision permits the exterior design and materials described to the board; additional permits or approvals required for construction (for example, building permits or any outstanding Planning Board conditions) were not listed in the board’s motion at the meeting and remain subject to the city’s standard permitting process.
