In the 5 W’s neighborhood above Egleston Square, income-restricted housing owned by Urban Edge has stabilized that community for over 25 years.

But private developers have slowly moved up the Walnut Park-Westminster Avenue hillside, and Amid Elkoury, of Allston, is the latest.

Elkoury proposes a four-story, 14-unit apartment house at 57 Walnut Park, which he presented at a virtual abutters meeting on March 9.

Although scheduled as an abutters meeting, there were no abutters on the call – only a sprinkling of Egleston Square Neighborhood Association (ESNA) members.

Apparently Urban Edge was not notified, although it owns 2020 Columbus Ave. at the rear of number 57 and 60 Walnut Park across the street.

Elkoury joins Maple Hurst Development, which built a nine-unit condominium at 81 Westminster in 2005, and La Rosa Development with its nine-unit condominium at 16 Westminster in 2007.

Elkoury and his partner Tigran Yesayan bought the circa 1873 house in 2021, which at that time was a rooming house; Elkoury said he restored it to three apartments in 2023.

Attorney Matt Eckel introduced the plans saying, “this is the first public meeting, the next stop will be with ESNA.”

Eckel introduced Jennifer Ha of Hue Architects, who explained that the building was designed to complement the curve of Walnut Park with two wings: one forward of the other, linked by balconies.

“The building cut reflects the curve of the street,” she said.

The building, three stories with tall clerestory corner windows on the first three stories and at the corner, is set on an overhang podium over the first floor.

The first floor will include 10 covered parking spaces and three open air in back, accessed by a drive adjacent to 61 Walnut Park, a rare almost one-to-one parking ratio.

Also on the ground floor will be a residents’ common room and storage.

Unusual for Egleston Square, the apartments be will be eight two-bedroom and six three-bedroom units, no studios or single-bedroom units.

“It seemed like a good option,” Eckel said. “Family-sized units – it seemed like a benefit to have three bedrooms.”

“There will be large, black aluminum windows and hardy plank façade materials,” Ha said. “The goal is to present an attractive, welcoming façade.”

Advertisement

Ha said her building reflects the design of 67 Walnut Park [built by Urban Edge and opened in 2019, designed by Prellwitz -Chillinski architects].

Elkoury said the three tenants currently living at #57 would be relocated after demolition and given the option to return to the new apartments.

Eckel said there would be two affordable units set aside at 60 percent area median income (AMI).

Resident Sue Pranger asked the inevitable question: “Why can’t the old house be preserved and converted?”

Ha said the fire suppressant sprinklers are not up to code, nor does the house have the required accessibility.

She added that it was not financially feasible to add additional units to the old building; in short it was cheaper to demolish than renovate.

“We gave it a lot of thought to incorporate an add-on,” Eckel said.

“We looked at all the options. Clean slate was the best result.”

“Article 85 demo delay is on the horizon,” Eckel added.

The square footage of the development is slightly over 19,000 square feet, so it does not fall under Article 80 small project review at 20,000 square feet.

The next public step would be the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal, and Eckel listed the seven variances needed.

Sue Pranger asked that the developer make a presentation to the next ESNA housing committee, and Eckel agreed.