The proposed developments for Jamaica Plain just keep on coming. No sooner was a six-story development proposal at 3200 Washington St. approved then along comes a new proposal for a five-story building at 3193-3195 Washington St. at the opposite corner.
Embarc Architects
The proposed 5-story condominium bulding planned for Montebello Road and Washington Street.
This new proposal includes 49 units with 30 one-bedroom units condominiums. There would also be ground floor retail space and 24 parking spaces under and behind the building. No Project Notification Form (PNA) has been filed with the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) yet.
"There is a tunnel effect," said Reva Levin, chair of the recently revitalized Parkside Neighborhood Association (PNA) that met to hear the plans on April 5. "The community doesn't appreciate this."
Richard Heath
Reva Levin of the Parkside Neighborhood Association
It was a full house at the PNA meeting, which held a combined meeting with the Brookside Neighborhood Association, as the development team City Realty gave its third neighborhood presentation for its proposal at the old Jackson Glass building site.
Neighbors from Robeson, Sigourney and Forest Hills streets; Chilcott Place, Rocky Nook Terrace, Park Lane and Iffley Road, all came out for the meeting.
Two abutting property owners attended: Paul Iantosca, who is part of the team constructing 3200 Washington St. and Monty Gold who owns the six storefront block at 3203-3213 Washington St. on the opposite side of the Montebello Road corner.
Levin, who was an outspoken critic of 3200 Washington St., opened the meeting by saying that the PNA had been rejuvenated chiefly in response to the development at 3200 Washington St.
"There is rapid development," she said. "Tall buildings. High density. Increased traffic."
City Realty project manager Josh Fetterman said, "We conceived this plan in October 2015 and we've had several one-on-one meetings including with direct abutters, local businesses and other abutters. We met with the Egleston Square Neighborhood Association [with its housing committee on March 4] and on April 23 we plan a Spanish-speaking meeting on site."
"We're here to listen," Fetterman said. "We've had very diverse feedback. Great feedback."
Dartagnan Brown, principal of the firm Embarc Architects, is the project's architect. He opened his presentation with the elevation and floor plans by emphasizing that the proposal is close to transit. "What's good about working with City Realty is that it pushes the architecture. This not a monolithic building. We've broken up the massing with different materials and setbacks. We're making sure what we design is a beautiful building."
Richard Heath
Architect Dartagnan Brown of Embarc Architects talks about the proposal.
The proposal includes an interior parking garage and ground floor retail space of 1600 square feet. Brown said drivers will enter and exit off Montebello Road next to the apartment block at 30 Montebello Road.
Brown said the building will be very energy efficient at 100 percent LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
The meeting was opened for feedback, which many residents were happy to participate in.
Levin said, "Commercial space is a priority for me. There is limited shopping in the area. I want quality businesses."
Fetterman added the retail space is small because they want to attract young businesses "that can't afford a large build out."
"My biggest concern is the one-bedroom population," added Levin. "We need family apartments. There is displacement of families. The city doesn't get this."
Fetterman said that 16 percent of the proposal would be eight units deemed affordable, which is more than what the city requires. He added they're "looking to target a middle-level of condominium buyer."
Leslie Belay asked what the cost of a one-bedroom condominium would be when the project is completed. The developers could not forecast what the cost of the one-bedroom condos would be in two to three years when the project could be completed. They said they're still getting bids from contractors, which would help determine condo unit prices.
Attorney John Pulgini of Pulgini & Norton, who was representing City Realty, agreed with one audience members suggestion that the price of the two-bedroom units could be up to $450,000.
Scott Shear of the Brookside Neighborhood Association asked how come the developers can't wait until the 
3193-3195 Washington St., where the proposed five-story development would be sited.[/caption]
Richard Heath
It was a packed house for a combined Parkside and Brookside Neighborhood Associations meeting.