Planning board approves second-floor restaurant and commercial uses at 884 Washington Street

The Braintree Planning Board voted 5-0 on May 13 to approve a special-permit and site-plan application for 884 Washington Street that will add a 5,875-square-foot second-story addition and a 550-square-foot covered deck for restaurant, retail and commercial recreation uses.

Attorney Derek Small and architect Eric Luciano presented the project, describing a design that places primary building entries on the parking-lot side and activates the Washington Street frontage with windows and an upstairs restaurant. Civil engineer Jim Burke said the plan upgrades utilities, adds landscaping and replaces an aging parking surface, and he said new stormwater recharge features will reduce runoff compared with the current condition.

Why the board acted

Assistant Director Connor Murphy noted staff had reviewed the submission and prepared draft findings and conditions. The project required two special permits — one for development within the Village Overlay District and a second for a commercial-recreation tenant (the Pilates studio proposed for the second-floor rear) — and site-plan review. The zoning board of appeals previously granted relief for a parking deficiency; staff said parking and signage arrangements were negotiated with nearby property owners for off-hour overflow.

Neighbors and design comments

Resident Susan Schallman, speaking from the public, told the board she liked the design but urged integration with the character of South Braintree Square and suggested materials that better reference the square’s existing buildings. A resident also raised a licensing question about alcohol and proximity to a house of worship; staff noted an existing license history for the site and said any liquor-license transfer or new application will follow the Board of License Commissioners’ process.

Board action and conditions

Member Kent moved to accept the application; Member Connolly seconded and the motion passed 5-0. Conditions include site-plan details for landscaping, lighting, stormwater, a condition requiring coordination with DPW for utility work, and a requirement that the applicant finalize wayfinding and signage plans showing pedestrian routes and pickup-window circulation.

Additional context

The applicant said the restaurant operator is pursuing tenants with regional-market experience and that the second floor will host a restaurant fronting Washington Street; the owner said the developer expects roughly 30–45 indoor seats depending on final tenant layout and that on-site parking (27 spaces serving the proposed Chipotle-style model) plus negotiated off-site spaces will meet demand.

Next steps

The planning board’s approval clears the way for building permits; staff will monitor construction logistics and require final sign and wayfinding plans prior to issuing a building permit.