The Board of Appeals on Tuesday approved a plan to turn two vacant lots on Bowdoin Street across from Olney Street into a building with 41 affordable apartments and a 6,000-square-foot customer- and worker-owned grocery store.

Apartments in the new building, proposed by VietAID, would be aimed at people making no more than 60% of the area median income - with 11 of the units reserved for people or families making up to 30% of the area median income.

Among the supporters of the proposal was the Dorchester Food Co-op, a group of about 700 Dorchester resident that is in negotiations with VietAID.

The building would have 46 parking spaces and a 3,500-square-foot plaza along Bowdoin Street.

Both lots have been vacant for decades. One is currently owned by the city, the other by the Dorchester Economic Development Corp.

Mayor Walsh and city councillors Frank Baker, Michelle Wu, Michael Flaherty, Andrea Campbell and Ayanna Pressley supported the proposal, as did Dorchester Bay. The BPDA board had previously approved the proposal.

One neighbor opposed the proposal, citing traffic and parking concerns.

191-195 Bowdoin St. small-project review application (10.2M PDF).