Historic board grants conditional permit for 6‑story buildings at 291 and 341 Jackson Street

The Lowell Historic Board on March 9 approved a conditional historic‑district permit to allow construction of two six‑story mixed‑use buildings at 291 and 341 Jackson Street, with conditions aimed at preserving nearby historic features and managing construction impacts.

Haley Glidden, the applicant’s representative, described the revised design and materials, an animation showing how the ground floor integrates with the street, and a small unit count change to accommodate on‑site bike storage. "The unit numbers went down to 362 units from 363 on the last plans to accommodate a 1st‑floor bike storage room in the main building," Glidden said, and asked the board for approval so the project could proceed through permitting.

During public comment, Denise Warren, who identified herself as a resident of 219 Jackson Street and head of the tenants association, urged caution. "Since that time, I can't open my windows. They've been sealed from concrete dust," she said, recounting repeated early‑morning construction, truck idling and unwatered material piles during a prior nearby project.

Board and staff responses emphasized the limits of the historic board’s enforcement authority and the role of building inspectors. "That would not be an historic board issue. That would be the building commissioner and the inspectors and development services," staff member Steve said, explaining which department handles noise, dust and timing complaints. Staff agreed to notify the building commissioner and to add the public concerns to the permit package.

Board members praised the design revisions and the applicant’s outreach. Director of the Planning Department (who spoke during the discussion) said the project team’s engagement helped assuage concerns and that the board should not "punish" the current applicant for problems tied to other developers’ past projects.

The board moved to issue the historic‑district permit with the conditions read into the record by staff, which included material and color sample approvals, window and door scope restrictions, roof plan specifications and protections for canal‑walk elements, and vibration monitoring during foundation work. A motion to approve was made and seconded and the board voted in favor; the Chair declared the motion approved.

Next steps: the permit is conditional on the listed design and construction controls and on coordination with the building department; permit issuance and construction scheduling will follow the city’s standard review and inspection processes.