Planning Board pauses La Colaborativa redevelopment at 50 Heard Street, asks for more detail on flooding, hours and parking

The Chelsea Planning Board on Tuesday voted to continue its review of a proposed four‑story redevelopment at 50 Heard Street by La Colaborativa, asking the applicant for more detailed plans on stormwater, hours of operation, parking and neighborhood impacts.

Alex Train, chief operating officer for La Colaborativa, told the board the nonprofit purchased the vacant three‑unit building in May 2024 and proposes a roughly 12,200‑square‑foot structure to house workforce training, vocational education and small business development programs. “We are before you to seek zoning relief, in order to accommodate a new redevelopment project that we're setting out,” Train said.

Architect David Gamble of Gamble Associates described a 4‑story building with workshops facing a south plaza and classrooms on the Heard Street side. Gamble said the design “nests the building into the landscape” to reduce perceived height and includes a stepped‑back third floor and a plaza intended for events and outdoor classes. Bill Meyer of Niche Engineering said the site lies within a flood plain and the team proposes placing mechanical equipment above the lower level, adding permeable landscape features and underground recharge chambers to manage stormwater.

Board members and neighbors raised several concerns. A conservation agent told the applicants they had not been contacted about subsurface work and said that mobilizing a drill rig without prior notice raised conservation questions. Resident Joaquin Isom, owner of 54 Heard Street and an abutter, opposed the plan, citing noise from events, existing flooding problems in the block and the loss of on‑street parking. “This is a residential neighborhood,” Isom said. “Noise and flooding are issues — I don't think this is the right location.”

Board members pressed applicants on hours of use, classroom sizes, and how the project will rely on parking that La Colaborativa leases under Route 1A. Train said the organization recently executed a 10‑year lease for off‑site parking and that most participants use transit or walk; he also said the first floor is being designed to tolerate occasional flooding while higher‑value equipment and mechanicals will be located above the flood plain.

After discussion the board moved, seconded and voted to continue the case to the July 22 meeting to allow the applicants to return with more detailed responses on stormwater and conservation‑commission coordination, a noise mitigation and hours plan, clearer parking and circulation commitments and refined elevation and material choices to address neighborhood concerns.

The continuation is a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeal and will also cover the major site plan review, the board confirmed.