Centro Las Americas Zone Change

At a glance

What: Jonathan Finkelstein, on behalf of Centro Las Americas, Inc., petitioned to extend the BG-3 zoning district and CCOD-E overlay to wholly cover 9, 15 and 25 Charlton St.; 26, 38, 42 and 46 Hermon St.; and 0 Beacon St. (Council item 13a, December 16, 2025).
Where it stands: ongoing. On September 16, 2026 the Economic Development Committee recommended approval 3-0.
Next: needs a full Council vote.

The Planning Board reported on it.
Centro bought 38 Hermon St. (an auto repair shop reaching through to Charlton St.) with closing around July 1, 2026, and plans roughly 60 affordable housing units (no plans yet).
Planning staff had asked that the mixed manufacturing, BG-3 and CCOD pattern be cleaned up.

At the Economic Development Committee, residents of Hermon St. opposed the change, raising traffic, parking and a grandfathered use.
Councilors also raised flooding and housing plans.

Held in the Economic Development Committee on February 17 and June 25, 2026.
On September 16, 2026 the committee recommended approval 3-0 and added a Chairman's Order asking the Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility to review the area near 42 Hermon St. for traffic improvements and the Police Chief for more parking enforcement.
Needs a full Council vote.

About 35 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-09-16 - Economic Development Committee	35

2026-09-16 - Economic Development Committee - Recommended approval 3-0 after long debate. Jonathan Finkelstein presented; Luis Reyes and Helen Raptis of 42 Hermon St. opposed (gridlock, blocked driveways, emergency access, grandfathering, photos shown), though they had not presented them to the Planning Board. Satya B. Mitra and Morris A. Bergman said the traffic problem pre-exists and the vote only concerns permitted business types. Bergman's Chairman's Order: Transportation and Mobility review near 42 Hermon St. and increased parking enforcement.