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Zoning board approves conversion of 71 Willie Street to 30 apartments, one member objects over parking
Summary
The ZBA approved a plan to convert a historic mill at 71 Willie Street into 30 rental units (15 one-bed, 15 studios) with variances for lot area and parking; the board required a transportation demand management plan and other conditions, and one member voted no, citing a 29-space parking shortfall.
The Lowell City Zoning Board of Appeals on May 28 voted to grant variances that let 71 Willie Street LLC convert a vacant mill building into 30 residential units, while requiring the developer to meet a set of planning and engineering conditions and to deliver a transportation demand management plan for the city’s transportation engineer’s review.
Attorney John Geary, representing 71 Willie Street LLC, said the property totals 22,205 square feet and that the proposed 30-unit conversion (15 one-bedroom units and 15 studios) requires relief because the UMF district’s lot-area standard (1,000 sq ft per dwelling unit) would require 30,000 square feet. Geary said the applicant seeks approximately 7,790 square feet of relief for lot area per unit and is also requesting relief from off-street parking requirements in section 6.1 of the zoning ordinance.
Geary told the board the site plan shows 31 parking spaces, of which 12 meet standard dimensions and 19 are undersized, and that the development will provide two ADA-compliant spaces. He said the developer intends to manage parking through property management practices, including leasing to tenants with only one car.
Mark O’Hara of O’Hara Engineering described site conditions, proposed stormwater infiltration and leaching manholes, removal of an accessory structure to create parking, and a landscape plan with about 3,000 square feet of new green space.
Resident John Sumas spoke in favor of the conversion, saying the vacant building has been underused for years and that reuse would benefit the neighborhood.
Board members pressed the applicant on unit configuration, parking, snow storage, dumpster placement, bike storage and the TDM plan. Member Harvey (Hovey/Hovie) expressed concern that the 29-space shortfall could overflow parking into the surrounding neighborhood and said he could not support the application without stronger mitigation in place. The applicant responded that property management would restrict tenants to one car and that the TDM plan would be required and reviewed by the transportation engineer.
Member McCarthy moved to approve ZBA-2026-20 for variances on off-street parking (sections 6.1.0.4 and 6.1.0.1) and lot area per dwelling unit, adopting DPD conditions dated May 27, 2026, and incorporating engineering and staff recommendations; the motion carried on roll call with one vote against and one board member absent. The approval requires the transportation demand management plan and compliance with LRWW stormwater permitting and other engineering conditions before site-plan approvals proceed to the planning board.
