Somerville board carries decision on 69 West End conversion after clash over accessibility and basement units

Attorney Michael O'Grodnick told the Board of Adjustment on Oct. 15 that his client, Princeton Canal LLC, is seeking variances to convert a century‑old professional office at 69 West End Avenue (Block 29, Lot 26.01) into a proposed multi‑family building with up to eight units, increased parking and site upgrades.

The application seeks a D(1) use variance to permit multifamily housing in the professional office‑residential (POR) zone, a floor‑area‑ratio variance (proposed roughly 36.8% where 25% is permitted), and bulk variances for setback and improvement coverage. O'Grodnick introduced the project team, including architect Ashraf Ragab and civil engineer Theodore Bayer, who described a modest two‑story rear addition, conversion of an existing garage into living space and an expansion of parking to 15 spaces with one EV make‑ready stall.

"This represents a full rehabilitation and return to historic residential uses on West End Avenue," architect Ashraf Ragab said, describing two duplexes and other units and noting recent plan revisions dated Oct. 15 responding to an engineering review.

The project prompted sustained technical scrutiny from board reviewers and members over three principal concerns: (1) how to provide required accessible entry to ground‑floor Type A units, (2) the safety and egress for proposed basement units, and (3) the practical and noise implications of backup power and mechanical systems.

On accessibility, Ragab testified the design includes a wheelchair/platform lift and a 32‑foot ramp extension to meet accessibility requirements for first‑floor units; he cited accessibility guidance for existing buildings that allow platform lifts where space is constrained. Borough reviewer Mr. Cole disputed that reading and argued the rehabilitation code and the International Building Code (IBC) direct a different standard for change‑of‑use cases, saying wheelchair lifts are not permitted for R‑2 (apartment) occupancies without a variance and that, where lifts are allowed, they must have standby power.

"The rehab code kicks you back to the IBC; the IBC section on new construction does not allow wheelchair lifts for apartments," Mr. Cole said during the hearing. "If you want to use a lift here you would need either an accepted interpretation or a variation, and you would need standby power where lifts are permitted."

The disagreement carried practical consequences for the site plan. Board members and the civil engineer discussed ramp feasibility around a narrow area to the west of the garage; civil engineer Theodore Bayer said a compliant ramp can be accommodated by reconfiguring parking and sliding ADA spaces, while the architect said he will seek code assistance from Trenton and revise the layout as needed.

Board members also pressed the applicant on emergency reliability and noise from generators. The architect said any standby power would be sized for life‑safety circuits (lighting, heating and essential systems) rather than to provide full building service, and that generator location and noise compliance would be addressed in the MEP package. Mr. Cole and at least one board member asked for specific backup‑power and noise specifications before approval.

Separately, multiple board members expressed concern about two proposed basement apartments: member Rich (last name as on the record) and others questioned window‑well egress, vertical travel distances, and the practicality of climbing in or out in an emergency. Ragab said window wells would include ladders and floor drains tied to the storm system, and the applicant later agreed to reconsider whether basement space should be habitable.

Traffic and neighborhood impact were also examined. Traffic engineer Justin Taylor testified that converting the building from office to eight apartments would change peak‑hour trips by only two to three vehicles and generate roughly 50 daily weekday trips, which he characterized as negligible compared with many other permitted uses; nearby resident David Lang told the board he feared a shift from a Monday‑through‑Friday office to round‑the‑clock residential use would disrupt Cameron Place and create circulation and parking pressure.

Civil engineer Theodore Bayer described grading, stormwater routing to an existing trench drain and catch basin, a private hauler solution for trash due to site constraints, and options for relocatable equipment pads for HVAC and a generator. He also said the EV make‑ready and van‑accessible parking layout requires adjustments that the team will provide.

After extensive questioning and because several technical items remained open — including final code interpretations, generator/noise specifications, lighting details and revisions to impervious coverage if a ramp is added — the applicant requested an adjournment to revise plans. Counsel said the team will remove basement apartments (reducing proposed habitable units from eight to six), add an ADA ramp option, update FAR and maximum‑improvement calculations, and address HVAC and generator noise in the MEP submission.

The board voted to carry the application to the Nov. 5 meeting (with an extension of decision time to avoid a default approval). The board chair noted that if the applicant cannot meet the filing and notice deadlines for November, the matter will be re‑noticed for a later hearing. "We will need a full set of construction documents and answers to the code questions before we can act," a board member said.

The hearing record includes extensive code citations and technical exhibits; the board did not reach a final determination on the variances or impose conditions before carrying the matter. The applicant will return with revised plans and updated engineering and noise, lighting and accessibility details.