Planning Board approves five-story Phillips Place housing project with conditions after extensive public comment

The Planning Board approved a site plan and special permit for a new multi-story residential building at Phillips Place and Holly Street after the applicant revised the design to reduce unit count and step back the upper floors. Tara Stein of O'Connell Development Group presented bulk and streetscape changes including a stepped-back fourth and fifth floor, added balconies, a tree belt on Phillips Place and a widened crosswalk at the Phillips/Holly intersection. "What we've done is step back the Fourth Floor and then step back the Fifth Floor again," Stein said, describing 13-foot and 10-foot setbacks on the upper floors that together pull the roof line back 23 feet from the northeast face. The applicant reported the project's unit count fell from 54 to 51 and that on-site parking increased from 25 to 27 spaces; it also added visitor bike parking and bicycle storage for 18 bikes.

The hearing was lengthy and well-attended. Dozens of residents and at least one city councilor spoke. "Quite frankly, this building is just too large for the facility," said Francisco Palomo of 42 Phillips Place, who indicated nearby residents are prepared to seek legal review if the board approved the project. Ward 3 City Councilor Quaverly Rothenberg said the planning process has become contentious: "This is a mess," she told the board, urging more public trust and transparency. Other neighbors raised concerns over emergency access on a narrow street, the adequacy of stormwater controls and construction impacts on historic foundations.

The applicant described multiple technical changes in response to prior questions: the Phillips streetscape now includes five street trees in a grass tree belt, two 15-minute curbside parking spaces located where the project's current curb cut exists, a 6-foot-then-5-foot sidewalk treatment with FlexiPave tree wells and new pedestrian seating at the building entry. Materials were revised to include wood-grain metal louvers and slatted roll-up garage doors that will be see-through at the garage openings. The applicant also noted that the Department of Public Works (DPW) had issued a stormwater permit amendment for the redevelopment; staff noted the DPW's stormwater review is separate from the planning board process.

Board members and staff pressed for more detail on pedestrian access, frontage calculations and lighting. Planning staff asked the applicant to provide a final, consolidated set of plans that includes structural soils details for tree wells, the finalized sidewalk and curb details, a revised building frontage occupancy calculation that accounts for both Phillips and Holly frontages, and an updated photometric (lighting) plan for the new balconies and roof decks. The applicant said it would explore providing additional bicycle storage in the amenity space at the nearby 20 Holly building to meet tenant needs while preserving two curbside parking spots on Phillips for quick drop-offs.

After deliberation, a board member moved to approve the site plan and special permit, "per the conditions and waivers that we just reviewed," and the motion passed unanimously. Conditions recorded in the public record included the final plan submission (with structural-soil details and tree-well details), tree-protection measures and confirmation of required sidewalk and curb details; staff also requested updated frontage calculations and an as-built photometric plan prior to occupancy.

Why it matters: The project adds housing in a Core Business/Side Street (CBS) area near downtown and transit, but generated neighborhood pushback about scale, parking, stormwater capacity and emergency access on a narrow street. The board's approval followed design concessions (upper-floor setbacks, materials changes and added street trees) and several conditions intended to protect the public realm and address neighbors' technical concerns.

Next steps: Applicant to submit revised final plans reflecting staff conditions; planning staff to confirm tree and sidewalk details prior to building-permit issuance. DPW will continue to enforce stormwater and construction standards through its permitting and inspection processes.