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Board OKs minor modification at 699 Washington Street, adds condition that new windows match existing character
Summary
The Planning Board approved a modification to a previously approved conversion at 699 Washington St. that adds three windows and reconfigures basement space and bedrooms; approval includes a condition that replacement and new windows match the building’s existing window character to the extent reasonably possible.
The Norwood Planning Board voted Oct. 1 to approve a minor modification to an earlier site plan for 699 Washington St., allowing the owner to add three windows, reconfigure a portion of basement commercial space and convert two interior units so the property will contain seven two-bedroom units and one one-bedroom unit.
Sean Murphy, representing owner James Murphy, said the changes were driven by interior rework discovered during demolition and by a desire to add a mezzanine loft in one unit where the ceiling is particularly tall. Murphy said the revisions will increase the building’s total bedroom count from 13 to 15 and will require one additional required parking space under downtown overlay calculations; the applicant has 16 on-site spaces and uses adjacent on-street spaces consistent with central-business-district rules.
The board reviewed parking, circulation and the addition of the windows. Members asked about where residential spaces would be designated in the lot, how tenant and visitor parking would be managed, and whether any municipal lots would be used; applicant representatives said residential parking would be served on-site and by on-street spaces adjacent to the building, and no municipal lot use was planned.
Board members also pressed for architectural consistency. One member asked that new and replacement windows match the existing windows’ scale, material and visual detailing. The applicant agreed; the board adopted a condition that the new windows “match existing windows upon replacement to the extent reasonably possible,” and said the building commissioner would review final product details and compliance with the condition.
The board recorded the minor modification and instructed staff to include the window-matching language in the project file and permit notes. No additional changes to parking or the approved site plan were required beyond the recorded conversion of interior unit types and the one additional bedroom-related parking calculation.
