A developer’s plan to demolish a single-family home at 59 Gibson Street and replace it with a 4-story, multi-unit building took an unexpected turn Monday evening after neighbors pointed out that the renderings and plans he was presenting to a public abutters meeting were highly questionable, given that they showed a three-decker house.
The session, which was organized by the Mayor’s Office for Neighborhood Services, included civic leaders and residents of the Fields Corner neighborhood.
Tim Longden, the new owner of 59 Gibson, was the featured speaker on the call and he was detailing his proposal for a 14-unit development that would replace the vacant home on a lot that is overgrown with tall grass and weeds when Hiep Chu, a Fields Corner Civic Association officer, spoke up.
“I think you have the wrong home,” said Chu, pointing to the three-decker in the presentation. “I’ll verify that,” said Longden, “we won’t be tearing down the wrong home.” He went on to explain that he has owned the property at 59 Gibson for a little less than a year and kept it under agreement for some time waiting on new zoning policies to take effect.
At that point several other neighbors on the call, as well as meeting facilitator Eva Jones of the Mayor’s Office, confirmed Chu’s observation and Longden apologized.
“I was using AI and that’s on the same street and it didn’t map it the way I wanted it to,” he said. “I didn’t realize that until the presentation, but it would be 59 and not 63. I won’t be knocking down 63. I’m going back to the drawing board on this.”
A slide from the abutter’s meeting Monday night for 59 Gibson St. showed the wrong home to be demolished, focusing on 63 Gibson St. instead of the correct property next door.
Jones said she would revisit the situation with Longden and schedule another abutter’s meeting to discuss plans for his property.
Aside from the siting snafu, Longden is looking to develop a project that he feels will fit in the ‘S2’ zone of Squares + Streets, the city’s slow-moving zoning initiative for Fields Corner and other business corridors in the city.
The building he envisions would include 14 units of 725 square meant “for people who will take transit and not people who own cars.” The property would be built on a slab foundation and would include balconies and bike parking, but no vehicle parking.
“There won’t be a lot of bells and whistles on this,” he said. “They’ll be new, but affordable and we envision young people, up and coming, who take transit and don’t have cars…We check all the boxes for the proposed zoning.”
Neighbors weren’t so sure, and many felt that such a large project on Gibson Street wasn’t appropriate – especially without parking and emphasizing bicycles and public transit.
“You’re referencing a city vision that isn’t there yet,” said neighbor Ed Crowley. “I would like you to take a look at this and think about downsizing your project and find a way to put parking on the property. All this with bikes, we’re not there yet.”
Added Chu, “I really think we are 20 years ahead of ourselves in terms of the stock of housing and bicycles and transit. It just isn’t there. I applaud your vision, but I have to say we aren’t there yet.”
One neighbor, who only identified herself as Amy, noted many problems with the project despite supporting fewer cars and more bikes and public transportation users.
“Your project is terribly outsized for this neighborhood,” she said. “This is at 59 Gibson, so how are you so sure during this meeting that you’re going to take down 63 Gibson? It’s very, very concerning. I don’t know where to start; the concerns are humongous.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, it appeared the 4-story, 14-unit building was no longer viable.
“It clearly isn’t as far along as I thought and hoped,” said Longden. “I think I’ll come back with something a little smaller and with parking.”
