95 Vernon Street
At a glance
- What: petition (ZA-2026-012) of George Markopoulos for 95 Vernon Street LLC to add the Adaptive Re-use Overlay District (AROD) over the 1.6-acre medical office parcel at 95 Vernon St. (BO-2.0).
- Where it stands: Planning Board recommended it favorably 5-0 on 2026-08-26 (per auto-captions) over objections from the adjoining 10 Winthrop Street condominium. Referred to the Economic Development Committee on 2026-09-22.
- Next: committee hearing 2026-10-27.
Background
- The Planning Board holds a Zoning Map Amendment hearing and reports to the City Council.
Planning Board hearing (2026-08-26)
- Request: overlay only; the BO-2.0 base zone stays. AROD would allow multifamily high-rise by special permit plus some retail, food and gym uses.
- Zoning history: RG-5 in 1971; INH (institutional) by 1991 for the former St. Vincent Hospital; BO-2.0 by 2007. Existing three-story medical office building approved by the ZBA in 1980.
- 10 Winthrop Street (north) objectors: shared electrical, hot water, fire suppression, telecom and parking easements not separated; condominium being deconverted; asked for continuance or opposition. They said they back housing generally.
- Applicant: separate petition from 128 Providence Street; utility separation is a private matter under discussion between owners.
Status and next steps
- Planning Board favorable recommendation 5-0 on 2026-08-26.
- Referred to the Economic Development Committee on 2026-09-22 (committee hearing 2026-10-27).
Discussion time
About 35 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-26 - Planning Board | 35 |
Log
- 2026-09-22 - City Council — Item 13c: Planning Board report on the AROD petition referred to Economic Development, 11-0.
- 2026-08-26 - Planning Board - Zoning Map Amendment public hearing (item 10); favorable recommendation 5-0. Attorney Joshua Lee Smith said the owner has no plans to convert the medical office and wants flexibility and contiguity with 128 Providence Street. Owners and board members of 10 Winthrop Street objected over shared utilities, parking easements and lack of outreach and asked for a continuance. Board treated those as private matters; Stephen Toomey raised spot-zoning concerns.
- 2026-07-21 - City Council — Item 7f: petition to establish the Adaptive Reuse Overlay District over 95 Vernon St. (MBL 05-38B-U-101, currently only in BO-2.0) referred to the Planning Board.
- 2026-10-27 - Economic Development Committee Meeting — Committee recommended approval of the overlay district, 3-0.
- 2026-10-27 - 2026-10-27 - Economic Development Committee Meeting: Captions add: overlay would keep BO-2.0; Planning Board unanimous; abutter concerns operational.