A development team hoping to build a six-story residential building with 80 compact studio apartments, a rooftop deck, and shared amenity space at the intersection of 1320 Dorchester Ave. and Ellsworth Street just north of Fields Corner met virtually on Monday evening with a coalition of nearby neighborhood associations and abutters to discuss their plans. 

About 30 people tuned into the Zoom meeting to hear from the proponents, who filed their plans with the Boston Planning and Development Agency in May. 

The proposal calls for the redevelopment of four parcels of land along Dorchester Ave., an area of approximately 19,021 square feet. The residential building as proposed is 45,411 square feet. A two-story residential/commercial building, the former home of All American Water, and parking spaces currently occupy the site.

In accordance with the city’s Inclusionary Development Policy, ten of the apartments would be rented as income restricted. The proposal includes six on-site parking spaces and a rooftop deck as an “amenity” that developer Robert Raimondi is required to provide in exchange for getting the okay to build more units than usually allowed. 

The site is less than a mile from from the Fields Corner Red Line station, which qualifies it as a Transit Oriented Development (TOD.)

The proponent, 1334 Dot, LLC, is pitching the building in compliance with the city’s “Compact Living Pilot” or CLP, a program that allows developers to build smaller units than normally required. The maximum dimension allowed for a studio unit under the CLP is 450 square feet, and buildings must include “well-designed units with storage and natural light, shared common areas, and transportation options that reduce car use.”
 
No one on the call outright opposed the proposal. Most attendees said they understood that there is an urgent need for more housing in the city and welcomed new development, but some were skeptical, saying that a CLP project wouldn’t be a good fit for Dorchester. 

Others felt that studio units would provide an affordable option to single people of all ages wanting to live in the neighborhood, a housing type that a few noted is difficult to find in Dorchester.

Suzanne Nguyen voiced her support for the proposal, saying “There are many other projects that will be built on or near Dorchester Ave that will have units for families. We need to broaden our horizons and look at how we can accommodate new people, single people of all ages so that they can build wealth, too.”

Ellen Mason, a Dorchester resident, was concerned about the building turning into “transitional housing” for recent college graduates, which could create “a churn and turnover” in the community and leaving less space for families. 

George Morancy, a South Boston attorney representing the developers, replied that the project would meet the needs of people who want to live on their own but can’t necessarily afford to rent a one-, two-, or three-bedroom in a three-decker without roommates. 

“The city has identified that there is a critical need for this type of housing,” he said.

One attendee asked the team why they would want to pack smaller units into a building, given the issues related to Covid-19 and concerns about transmission. 

Replied Morancy: “This is very much a project that was conceived with Covid in mind. People wouldn’t have to deal with the issues that come with having roommates and trying to avoid infection because they would have their spaces.” 

Jennifer Johnson, of Dorchester, said she struggled to find a one-bedroom for rent when she moved to the neighborhood. 

“I am a single independent woman who owns a three-bedroom condo in Dorchester because I could find no one-bedrooms when I was buying in 2006,” she said. “I think we forget that single people—particularly single women—are the largest growing demographic in the country. Both on the younger and older sides.” 

Geoff Doerre, of Dorchester, was concerned by the density, scale, and height of the proposal, saying that six stories would present a “huge shock to the current streetscape.” 

As the meeting came to a close, Hiep Chu, longtime Dorchester resident and meeting moderator, said, “It seems that no one opposes the project; we just want it to be as much of a benefit to the community as possible.” 

Aisling Kerr, a BPDA project manager, told the Reporter that the agency encourages developers to continue engaging in community discussions with local groups, as they did during the virtual meeting with members of Meetinghouse Hill Civic Association, Freeport Adams Neighborhood Association, and Fields Corner Civic Association. 

She added that BPDA staff will regroup after the July 4 holiday to discuss next steps in the review process, adding that there are not yet any BPDA-hosted meetings scheduled for the project.