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ZBA approves 7‑story, 94‑unit senior affordable housing project behind Tobin Towers at 80 Clay St.
Summary
The Zoning Board of Appeals granted variances and a special permit to AHSC Community Developer LLC to build a seven‑story, 94‑unit senior affordable housing building at 80 Clay Street behind the Quincy Housing Authority’s Tobin Towers; the project includes garage parking and drainage improvements that engineers say reduce runoff volumes.
The Zoning Board of Appeals voted to approve a special permit and related variances for a seven‑story, 94‑unit senior affordable housing development proposed at 80 Clay Street, to be built on excess land behind the Quincy Housing Authority’s Tobin Towers.
Edward Fleming, attorney for the applicant AHSC Community Developer LLC (a joint venture between Affordable Housing Services Collaborative and DD Properties), and the project team presented plans for a 7‑story building with 94 one‑bedroom units aimed at residents aged 62 and older. The design includes 22 enclosed garage spaces plus exterior parking; the team said the project will provide 111 total parking spaces on the parcel after redesigning site circulation.
Civil engineer Jesse Johnson of Weston & Sampson told the board the project reduces post‑construction runoff volume by 33% and reduces the rate of runoff by 27% compared with current conditions by adding additional infiltration and other stormwater measures. Johnson said the team used updated precipitation modeling (NOAA Atlas) to improve resilience and designed on‑site systems that peer reviewers and city staff had reviewed during planning board review.
Architect Jason Manske described the L‑shaped, seven‑story building with a brick base, accessible sidewalks, a central drop‑off/pick‑up point, rooftop mechanicals and an amenity terrace; 10% of units will be fully accessible and the project is designed for passive house targets and to be PV‑ready. Dan Minton, the Ward 5 councilor, told the board he convened a neighborhood meeting in June where residents generally supported the proposal; he also asked for a local preference for Quincy residents, and Betsy Collins (project development/management) explained state rules limit local preference to up to 70% during initial lease‑up.
The project underwent site‑plan review with peer review of traffic and drainage, and the planning board recommended approval. The Department of Public Works submitted a memorandum saying its comments had been addressed. Following presentation and questions about windows, snow storage, trash access and traffic queuing at nearby signals, the zoning board voted to accept the project as presented.
What the approval covers
The approval includes a special permit for residential use in the Business C district and variances for lot‑size‑per‑unit and height/number of stories. The project team said the proposed height under the current code exceeds the local 60‑foot cap (projected at about 77.8–80 feet) but that the Walliston Urban Revitalization overlay will allow higher buildings in the area once adopted.
Next steps
The project team will continue design and permitting, secure MEPA clearance if required, finalize contractor logistics and proceed through building permit and construction phases. The board noted the applicant’s commitments to additional on‑site green infrastructure and to coordinating construction logistics with city staff.
