The Boston Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) met last week and voted to approve the increase in size and units for the proposed 1702 Hyde Park Ave. project.

Attorney John Pulgini represented developer Thomas Geraghty during the hearing. Pulgini said the project consists of 68 condominium units, with 2,500 square feet of commercial space, 34 garage parking spaces, and 68 bicycle spaces. The total project size is about 90,000 square feet, with 12 of the units to be subsidized for affordability under the city’s Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP).

Pulgini said this is an expansion of the previously approved project that was five stories and 44 units. It was approved back in 2023 originally.

“After that, there were two abutting neighbor buyers who increased their height well above this one,” he said. “As a result, the Planning Department worked with us to increase the height to that of the abutting properties, which would also add more housing stock and increase the much-needed home-ownership stock in Hyde Park.”

The Boston Planning and Development Agency Board voted to approve the project change back in April of this year. Pulgini said part of that approval was an easement granted on the property to the City of Boston to allow for wider sidewalks and more street lighting.

“We’re coordinating this project with its surrounding projects with the goal of lighting Hyde Park Avenue as future development occurs,” he said. “It’s basically industrial now, but there aren’t many new businesses going in there.”

Pulgini noted that the site is close to the MBTA Readville Commuter Rail Station, which serves as a hub for the Franklin Line, the Providence/Stoughton Line, and the Fairmount Line (which is due to become electric/battery hybrid in the next four years [if the delayed schedule stays on track]).

Office of Neighborhood Services representative Conor Newman said the Readville Neighborhood Watch expressed opposition to the proposal, citing a lack of sufficient parking.

Planning Department Representative Jack Gilman responded to the feedback on the parking, as asked by ZBA Chair Sherry Dong.

“I was not the project manager at the time for this project, so I don’t necessarily recall the details on the parking issue,” he said. “I am just here to to speak to the overall Article 80 Process.”

Pulgini spoke to that, and said the Planning Department determined the parking ratio.

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“Because of the location, I mean the back of this project is the Readville Commuter Rail Station, and they (the Planning Board) felt that the maximum parking spaces would be half of the number of units,” he said. “Because of its location it was identified in the Plan Boston 2030 and the Indigo/Fairmount Line Study for exactly this kind of development.”

ZBA member Giovanny Valencia asked if there was any way they could increase the number of street trees.

“This is an industrial area and more trees would be welcome,” he said.

Pulgini said the developer is working together with the abutting developments to beautify the public way.

“It will be an extensive Public Improvements Commission (PIC) process,” he said. “It’s a heat island area, all concrete. So we’re putting in street trees and our abutters are putting in street trees.”

The Board ended up voting unanimously in approval.

For the project page, go to https://gvimes.link/1702hpave