Pictured above: Neighbors gathered outside of the Nelson Street property, formerly the Straight Gate Church. Seth Daniel photo
The city’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD) has issued a “stop work” order on a construction project to convert a former storefront church on Nelson Street in Dorchester into retail space. The order follows complaints from neighbors, who say the work at the former Straight Gate Church site was happening without necessary permits.
“During a site visit, a building official observed extensive build-out of multiple storefronts that resulted in a change in the property’s occupancy,” an ISD spokesperson explained in a statement to The Reporter. “Despite several attempts to contact the builder and/or property owner, no response was received.”
The spokesperson added: “A violation will be issued requiring that proper permits be obtained before work may continue and the change in occupancy be approved in accordance with applicable codes. It is our department’s policy to ensure that all construction work is performed in compliance with all applicable codes in order to protect the health and safety of the community.”
According to ISD, a previous “stop work” order issued last fall prevented indoor work, but allowed for outdoor work to secure the site for winter.
The property at 1-5 Nelson St. is owned by JP Stamatos, who said his company is confused by the decision.
“Our goal is simply to reactivate the property, by bringing this building back to life we understand that it should be a net positive for the neighborhood as opposed to an empty, closed-down building,” he wrote in an e-mail.
A broker at Jamaica Plain’s Pondside Realty, Stamatos said he explained to neighbors in a phone call last fall that his company intends to re-develop the site into a free-standing commercial property, with tenants to be determined.
Neighbors involved with the Redefining Our Community (ROC) civic association say they want more information about what’s going on. The property was used as an offshoot worship site for a larger church in Roxbury, but has been left vacant since 2021. Decades ago, the building housed an auto parts supply and sales store – a use approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) in 1960 when it replaced a drug store.
But neighbors, and elected officials like Councillor Brian Worrell, maintain that that the current official use permitted is only for a church or day care. Any change, they believe, would require an official change of use through the zoning panel.
Neighbors Trena Matos-Ambroise, Cassie Avery-Grace, and Gwen Johnson, say they’ve raised concerns since last October, flagging them as after-hours and overnight work.
Cassie Avery-Grice and Trena Matos-Ambroise, both of the ROC civic association, have major concerns about a property on Nelson Street that they said was suddenly being converted from a church to a storefront. Seth Daniel photo
Matos-Ambroise said neighbors have watched the solid stucco walls of the former church give way to traditional storefront entrances.
“We asked what they were doing and heard everything from a barber shop to auto parts to a church bookstore,” she said. “It was always something different. We decided to call because it’s been a church for a long time, and we didn’t think it was zoned for business.”
Added Avery-Grice: “We’re concerned about having businesses there on a residential street and what it might bring and the noise – not to mention parking…If it’s not legit, it shouldn’t be [there].”
Added Johnson, “We have a laundromat there now and in the summer we can’t park on the street.”
Statmatos said his company purchased the building from an owner that he didn’t name. No immediate sales records were filed at the Registry of Deeds. However, a building permit secured by the church in 2019 indicated there was more than $100,000 in work to the church that he believes was unfinished.
“In November, the city issued a stop work order alleging unpermitted structural, plumbing, electrical, and basement work,” Stamatos wrote in an e-mail. “We disputed this, as all such work existed at the time of purchase…The city advised us that the old permits were not closed out and that as new owners we must assume responsibility for the work, which is understandable. Our contractor had pulled a permit for installing storefront doors and glass. No change of occupancies had been filed.”
Stamatos contended there is no active work going on at the property – a fact that neighbors dispute in pointing to new electrical work done outside to power store signage. He said once it’s all sorted out, they would proceed under the correct permitting.
“Prospective tenants include a church, barbershop, and retail use, with occupancy to be adjusted accordingly once it is known,” he wrote. “Public records also indicate the building was never formally permitted as a church, despite being used as one.”
Stamatos said the Assessor’s Office lists it as a commercial property or social club, though assessing records are not considered official documents for property usage. A building permit from September 2025 posted on the property lists the official use as a “church.” The work listed on that permit – given to primary contact Juan Rojas – includes “Replace store front and rear doors.”
ROC neighbors said they wish the new owner had met with the association before starting work.
“We would be happy if we saw a church or daycare there again, but we especially wouldn’t want any more barber shops or nail salons,” said Matos-Ambroise, noting those uses tend to attract lots of vehicles and noise. “We have 50 million of those already.”
