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Neighbors warn Med Square's massing and parking could change character of nearby blocks
Summary
Several longtime residents and an architect told the Planning & Zoning Board that Med Square's stacked parking and large upper‑floor plates risked visual and traffic impacts on adjacent single‑family blocks; they urged smaller massing and streetscape measures.
Multiple neighbors urged the Planning & Zoning Board to reconsider elements of the Med Square proposal that they said could harm the adjacent residential neighborhood.
"You can't just say, well, it's the same floor plate, but it's sitting on top of the the floor plates below. No. It's not the same thing," said Christopher Cookie Arbora, a 43‑year resident, criticizing the applicant's rationale for large upper‑floor plates and calling for a reduction of parking if floor plates were to be reduced. Architect and neighbor Luigi Vitolini said the project's massing is "massive" and suggested alternatives such as a four‑story office building with fewer floors of stacked parking to reduce shadowing and preserve morning sunlight.
Other residents asked whether a "mixed‑use medical" designation could permit 24‑hour activity; the applicant and staff responded that the proposal is for medical professional office uses and is not intended to be a hospital or 24‑hour use. Residents asked for stronger streetscape treatments and confirmed that townhouses proposed on the rear of the block should be two stories to serve as a transition to nearby homes.
The board heard these concerns before voting to recommend approval; several members said the townhomes, landscaping and internalized parking weighed in favor of recommending the project, though not all members were entirely satisfied.
