The Zoning Board of Appeals on July 17 approved a plan by Rockview LLC to convert a historic convent and related outbuildings on Rock Street into multiple residential units, following hours of public comment and testimony from preservation advocates.
Supporters and opponents packed the hearing room as the applicant presented revised plans that reduce rear parking and reorient spaces toward Rock Street. Attorney Peter Solino, representing the applicant, told the board the proposal would yield 12 residential units within the existing structures and included 24 parking spaces, arguing the design preserved the exterior historic fabric while making redevelopment financially feasible.
Why it matters: the property sits in a locally designated historic district, and the Preservation Society and multiple neighbors argued large-scale conversion would conflict with Massachusetts General Law chapter 40C protections and the city’s master plan. Alexander Silva, president of the Preservation Society, told the board that exterior work and demolition in a 40C district require a certificate of appropriateness and urged coordination with the Historical Commission.
Board action focused on zoning relief rather than historic review. The board first voted to grant the variance requested to allow the proposed residential use and dimensional relief; members said the vote was limited to zoning standards. The board then granted the two special permits sought: relief for parking setback/location and to increase lot coverage, both with conditions. The approvals are conditioned on: adherence to the bedroom/unit counts and floor plans submitted with the revised application; completion of required building permits, inspections, and any late filing fees; and review under the city’s site plan review and historical-commission processes before any exterior changes are made.
Public comment was strongly opposed. The Preservation Society and residents said the project would increase congestion, risk demolition of historic fabric, and circumvent 40C protections. Neighbor Carl Amaral, who submitted photographs of traffic at school dismissal times, warned of safety and parking impacts. The applicant and his counsel repeatedly said the intent is to preserve the buildings and that the proposed unit count reflects what could be put on the property under local zoning if the buildings were demolished and redeveloped as-of-right.
The board emphasized the limited scope of its authority. Chairman Joseph Perera and other members repeatedly told speakers that historic review and enforcement of building-permit rules fall to other city bodies; the board’s role was to decide whether the zoning relief requested was “substantially more detrimental” to the neighborhood than existing conditions.
What happens next: the approvals carry conditions that require the project to pass site-plan review and secure any required certificates from the Historical Commission before exterior work proceeds. The applicant and planning staff said further engineering and design details will be finalized in those subsequent reviews.