Architects present revised Hive 132 Cherry Street plan after FEMA map changes; board asks for broader context and landscaping details

CJS Architects presented a revised plan for the Hive, a two-building, L-shaped project at 132 Cherry Street, noting the project was previously approved but stalled and now must adjust to FEMA flood-map changes. Craig Jensen and Miriam Yaacoub said the team is trying to preserve as much of the previously approved design as possible while responding to new regulatory constraints.

Key facts presented by the architect: about 148 units, 39 parking spaces and roughly 160,000 square feet of building area. To get out of the regulatory floodway and to meet updated flood-elevation requirements the team proposed shifting the buildings east by about 5 feet, slightly reconfiguring building geometry, raising specific lobby and amenity areas above the floodplain (the lobby areas called out were raised approximately 3 ft 4 in), and eliminating on-street parking to preserve tree lawn and sidewalk relationships. Some previously proposed penthouse/loft units were converted to one-bedroom units to comply with HCR program requirements and height limits.

Commissioners asked for a broader context image showing circulation, the inlet and the adjacent Black Diamond Trail, and sought more detail about landscaping, deliveries, how residents and the public would use between-building spaces, and how units facing into a narrow courtyard would be designed for privacy and light. Board members also encouraged the project team to explain the applicant’s strategy for maintaining a high-quality material palette while meeting HCR budget constraints.

Architects said they will provide larger-context drawings, updated elevations and landscape plans at the next site-plan review and noted the team is trying to retain many of the previously approved architectural features while meeting HCR requirements.