Category: Brookline.News

  • Brookline’s rent control bid advances through state legislature

    Brookline’s rent control bid advances through state legislature

    The Massachusetts State House. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

    Brookline’s push to reestablish a cap on rent increases cleared another hurdle this month, with the town’s home rule petition winning initial approval in the Massachusetts Senate, a  procedural step before a final vote in that chamber in April.

    If approved, the bill would move to the House, bringing the town one step closer to regaining the authority to enact rent stabilization for the first time since 1994, when Massachusetts voters approved a statewide ballot question banning rent control as it previously existed.

    Because of Chapter 40P of the Massachusetts General Laws , enacted through that 1994 ballot question, Brookline must obtain authorization from the Legislature through a home rule petition before adopting rent stabilization locally. If approved, it would become the first Massachusetts municipality to implement rent regulation in more than three decades.

    The proposal reached Beacon Hill after a November 2023 Special Town Meeting vote, when members approved a warrant article 112–107, with 13 abstentions, directing the town to seek state authorization.

    Alec Lebovitz, a Town Meeting and Advisory Committee member who was one of the article’s original petitioners, said the policy was crafted in response to sharp rent increases threatening to displace residents.

    “I can remember speaking to one young woman who rents a home with her partner and her daughter,” Lebovitz said. “She was facing, at that time, an increase in her rent, $800 a month. No repairs had been made to the house. Nothing had changed, except that the landlord determined he could charge that much.”

    Under the proposal, Brookline could cap annual rent increases at the Consumer Price Index plus 3%, or 7%, whichever is lower. Newly constructed units would be exempt for 15 years, along with owner-occupied properties with four units or fewer.

    “We were very deliberate when we crafted our home rule petition to try and build more flexibility to avoid creating that disincentive,” Lebovitz said, referring to concerns about discouraging new housing development.

    The Brookline petition is advancing as voters prepare to consider a separate statewide initiative petition  that would repeal Chapter 40P and establish a framework for rent stabilization to be imposed on every municipality in the commonwealth.

    That proposal would limit annual rent increases for most covered units to the Consumer Price Index or 5%, whichever is lower, including after tenant turnover. It would exempt owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units and housing constructed within the past 10 years.

    Under the state’s initiative process, proponents may negotiate with lawmakers before the measure appears on the ballot. Carolyn Chou, executive director of Homes for All, told The Boston Globe earlier this month  that the group would consider dropping the measure if lawmakers passed a “strong” rent control policy.

    The prospect of that more sweeping measure is shaping debate over authorizing individual municipalities like Brookline to adopt more limited policies.

    “I support communities voting, by community, for if they want rent stabilization,” said Sen. Cindy Creem, D-Newton, who filed Brookline’s home rule petition in the Senate and said affordability is the top concern she hears from constituents.

    “I think it makes more sense to do that versus the broad issues in the ballot,” Creem said. “What Brookline is doing is more realistic.”

    Rep. Tommy Vitolo, D-Brookline, said he views his role on home rule petitions as advancing the will of the Town Meeting.

    “If Town Meeting says they want it, it’s now my job to try to make it happen,” Vitolo said.

    However, while acknowledging that rent caps could help current tenants, he warned of long-term tradeoffs.

    “It will certainly improve the housing affordability situation for the people who have housing,” Vitolo said. “It’s not clear that the folks who want to move in but now can’t find a place will feel quite as good about it.”

    Vitolo said rent stabilization does not address what he sees as the underlying cause of rising costs.

    “The problem with housing prices is that supply isn’t meeting demand. We need more housing,” he said.

    Rep. Kevin Honan, D-Boston, who chaired the Legislature’s Committee on Housing for 17 years, came out more decidedly in favor of Brookline’s petition.

    “I would be supportive of that,” Honan said. “The cost of housing is out of control.”

    Honan said the proposal strikes a balance by allowing rent increases while offering predictability.

    “That’s still a rent increase that would allow a property owner to maintain the property and make a profit,” he said.

    Asked about concerns that rent stabilization could deter new housing construction, Honan said he didn’t anticipate that problem in high-demand communities like Brookline.

    “Many of these communities are so desirable to live in that production will continue,” Honan said.

    Doug Quattrochi, executive director of MassLandlords, a statewide landlord trade association that counts Brookline property owners among its ranks, said his organization opposes any rent caps that do not compensate property owners.

    “An uncompensated cap is a nonstarter,” Quattrochi said.

    He argued that Chapter 40P allows rent regulation only if landlords are reimbursed for the difference between market rent and the controlled rate, and said limiting rent without compensation amounts to taking private property without payment.

    Quattrochi acknowledged that no municipality in the country currently operates a compensated rent control system and that such an approach would require significant local budget overhauls.

    “We would never argue against teachers, firefighters, or police budgets. It’s all super important,” Quattrochi said. “But towns also fund discretionary projects like dog parks and conservation. At the end of the day, if you want rent-burdened people to remain in your community, someone has to decide how to pay for it.”

    Quattrochi noted that the landlord advocacy group Housing for Massachusetts coalition has already filed suit challenging the statewide initiative petition, arguing that repealing Chapter 40P’s compensation requirement through an initiative petition violates a clause in Article 48 of the state Constitution  prohibiting initiative petitions that aim to contravene “the right to receive compensation for private property appropriated to public use.” 

    He said Brookline’s home rule petition would likely face similar legal challenges if enacted without compensation.

    “This rent control stuff is not going to happen,” he said. “Option one, compensation, is the bottom line; option two is we’re suing.”

    Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of MassLandlords director Doug Quattrochi. The article has been updated.

  • Brookline’s ‘Age-Friendly Businesses’ campaign makes older residents’ needs a priority

    Brookline’s ‘Age-Friendly Businesses’ campaign makes older residents’ needs a priority

    Bohn Whitaker holds up a goose shaped coat-hook in her studio at Feet of Clay Pottery on February 19, 2026. Photo by Milena Fernsler

    At Michael’s Deli, a Coolidge Corner staple serving overstuffed bagels and hot knishes, owner Steven Peljovich treats his customers the way his parents taught him.

    “You always respect the people who came before you,” he said.

    Designated an “Age-Friendly Business” as part of a campaign led by the Brookline Community Aging Network, Peljovich says he takes special care to meet the needs of his older clients. He offers curbside service, helps sight-impaired customers with self-serve items and even paid for a new walker for one regular customer when she mentioned her insurance wouldn’t cover it. 

    After all, who if not grandparents can keep up the deli’s tradition?

    “They’re the ones that really hold my feet to the fire,” he said. “They know what it’s supposed to look like, what it’s supposed to taste like.”

    To be designated as “age-friendly,” store owners submit an application, after which BrooklineCAN volunteers visit and check for wheelchair accessibility, seating, large-font menus, and general “friendliness” and willingness of staff to accommodate older people’s needs. 

    About 100 age-friendly stores, restaurants and services are compiled on the group’s website , along with other resources like a map of publicly accessible restrooms.

    After the campaign’s founder, Frank Caro, died suddenly in 2020, his wife, Carol Caro, took up where he left off, reaching out to the over 200 new businesses that have appeared in Brookline since the project’s launch.

    Carol Caro, 85, said the purpose is twofold: to serve as a resource for older residents and to help participating businesses expand their customer base.

    “It’s really important for the senior population, and for the population as a whole,” she said. 

    The effort in Brookline is part of a global movement through the World Health Organization’s network of age-friendly cities, which encourages business owners to rethink sidewalks, storefronts and services as the world’s senior population grows rapidly. 

    Over 20% of Brookline residents are older than 60, up from 18% in 2010. That’s about 13,000 seniors, a number that is expected to keep rising. 

    Emily Williams, director of the Brookline Senior Center and co-chair of BrooklineCAN, said the town must keep up with the demands of this growing clientele. 

    “Seniors really need to be heard,” Williams said. “We see so much ageism all over the place. It’s everywhere.”

    Ageism, she said, isn’t always overt. It can show up as a lack of accommodation not only for physical impairments but for cognitive changes as well.

    “Sometimes seniors with memory loss or dementia repeat questions, and some people may not have patience for that type of a situation,” she said. 

    Too often, Williams said she sees older people avoid situations that would make them feel like a “burden.”

    “If there’s a decal in the window of the business, seniors feel much more at ease,” she said. 

    One of the first businesses to earn such a decal was Feet of Clay Pottery, where founder Frank Caro discovered his artistic calling after retirement. 

    The studio’s owner, Jenn Wyman, remembers him riding his bike to Feet of Clay almost every day until his death.

    “He was so funny. So funny. He would just make us roll and laugh,” Wyman said. She said Caro’s advocacy made her more aware of older people’s needs in the studio. She began thinking about even flooring to prevent tripping hazards and bathroom accessibility. After a 78-year-old artist collapsed in the studio, she installed a defibrillator.

    “We treasure the people that have been at Feet of Clay for so long, and we watch them get older,” she said. 

    The artist who’s been there longest of all is Bohn Whitaker, 75, who has been working at the studio for almost half a century.

    “As an older person, it’s easy to become isolated,” she said. Whether she’s chatting with veteran potters or passing on techniques to younger artists, Whitaker said she enjoys being around other people. 

    She said the Age-Friendly Businesses campaign is a good idea, but she’s found Brookline so accommodating that she hardly sees a need for improvement. 

    “I can’t imagine a store where I would not feel welcomed,” she said. This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Brookline plans to add 25 new Blueb2-26ikes stations

    A Bluebikes station in Brookline. Photo by Celeste Alcalay

    An expansion of 25 Bluebikes stations across Brookline is slated to start this year after months of planning.

    The town has seen exponential growth in use of the Boston-area public bike-share service. In 2015 people took nearly 33,000 rides from its stations in Brookline, according to Bluebikes data . That number rose to 131,000 in 2020 and over 236,000 in 2025. Despite the growth, the last time Brookline got additional Bluebike stations was in 2021, when two stations were added.

    Brookline’s 14 stations are primarily concentrated in north Brookline, while some parts of town have none. The town’s four-year plan  to add 25 Bluebikes stations will fill some of these gaps all across Brookline. The project will be funded mainly by grants, according to a draft of the plan. 

    The town will host a virtual public meeting  on the project Thursday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., where there will be a discussion about the placement of these stations.

    Sam Downes, Brookline’s deputy director of engineering and transportation, said the new Bluebike stations will improve mobility access in the town in an environmentally friendly way.

    “Brookline is really excited at the opportunity to expand this network and provide alternate means of transportation for both residents and visitors to the town,” Downes said.

    Bluebikes’ stations consist of bike docks and a kiosk where one can purchase trip passes, find nearby stations and see bike availability in real-time. It costs about $3 to rent a bike for 30 minutes and $10 to rent one for 24 hours. Long-term memberships are also available.

    The town is one of four municipalities — including Somerville, Cambridge and Boston — that kickstarted the Bluebikes network in 2012, when it was called the Hubway system. Today, there are almost 600 Bluebike stations across 13 municipalities in the Boston area.

    Of the 13 municipalities, Brookline ranks 7th in terms of number of stations as of November 2025. Downes said improvements need to be made.

    “Seeing that we have not added any new stations in the last five years just means that we’ve fallen behind in terms of playing our role in the network,” Downes said. “By improving the network, we improve mobility for all of the riders in the system.”

    Downes said he anticipates some pushback regarding curb space use and parking reduction, although he said fewer than half of the new stations would eat into parking spaces.

    “It’s a tough balance, and I look forward to hearing more from the public,” Downes said. “Hopefully a lot of the people — the residents — will see that we really worked hard to minimize parking reduction.”

    Megan MacGarvie, a bicyclist and business professor at Boston University, used one of her classes to determine where the Bluebike stations would be placed based on ridership data and a public survey that went live in May 2025. MacGarvie’s class analyzed publicly available Bluebike data, identifying patterns and avoiding town constraints before presenting their proposed station locations to the town.

    “I really appreciated [Downes’s] willingness to collaborate on this,” MacGarvie said. “It was just a really great experience for the students to see a real world example of this kind of analysis and decision making.”

    David Kroop, a retired attorney, is the president and a founding member of the advocacy group Biking for Brookline. He said he used to enjoy biking to work.

    “It was faster than public transportation. It was a lot of fun,” Kroop said. “You arrived at work feeling refreshed and ready to focus on the work at hand.”

    For that reason, Kroop said he is all for the Bluebike expansion. He said more Bluebike stations would make it possible for those who don’t own a bike to get around on two wheels.

    “Expanding Bluebikes I think is really critical for expanding the number of people who bike in Brookline and bike through Brookline,” Kroop said.

    Downes, who bikes to work, said he is excited to hear what the public has to say about the project at the meeting.

    “Bluebikes is just another way for people to have equal access to getting around,” Downes said. “It’s just showed me that we really have to think out of the box when it comes to where we place these stations.”

    This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

    Correction: A previous version of this story used the wrong title for deputy director of engineering and transportation Sam Downes.

  • How is Brookline handling this harsh winter? Snow far, snow good

    Milena Fernsler

    Ian Martz clears off his top deck on February 24, 2026. Photo by Milena Fernsler

    James Danforth spent an hour trying to dig his car out of ice and snow on Corey Hill before finally giving up.

    “Quite a storm we had,” Danforth said, leaning on a shovel. “The side streets are terrible.”

    Danforth, 60, lent a hand to a neighbor whose snowblower broke. “Paul’s too old for shoveling,” he said. Danforth, a roofer, said he loves the work and had been helping neighbors shovel their driveways since before sunrise Tuesday.

    “It’s good exercise,” he said.

    Monday’s blizzard piled another 17 inches of snow on Brookline less than a month after a late January storm dropped nearly 2 feet. If the winter of 2025-26 feels particularly brutal, Brookline residents are taking it in stride – maybe even enjoying it.

    “It’s been a while since we’ve had a real winter,” said Elliot Shimer, a health care strategist who was waiting for the T in Coolidge Corner. “It’s actually kind of fun to have, like, a real snowfall.”

    Daniela Santos and Daniel Lounsbury walked out of Trader Joe’s in Coolidge Corner Tuesday, groceries in hand and snow boots on, and headed to Lounsbury’s apartment in Brighton. They wanted to be prepared for the trek.

    “[We] learned our lesson,” Lounsbury said, smiling. “[Santos] wore Uggs last time.”’

    “It wasn’t fun,” said Santos, a Boston University student. “My Uggs are ruined.”

    Lounsbury, a BU alum, said he and Santos had plans to sled in the “impressive” snowfall. He was also impressed by how well Brookline cleared the roads.

    “The last storm, they didn’t do as well clearing up afterwards,” he said.

    A few doors down, Stephen Chen and his wife, Christina, shoveled snow outside Flake Bakery, their Portuguese pastry shop, as well as neighboring storefronts.

    Stephen Chen takes a break from shoveling outside his pastry shop Flake Bakery. Photo by Eli Pekelny

    “I’m just helping the neighbors shovel,” said Chen, wearing a Donald Duck apron and a short-sleeved shirt.

    Chen called Monday’s blizzard “just another snow day.”

    “I used to see this type of snow, I feel, almost every winter. Now you rarely see it,” Chen said. “It’s probably a shocker to most, but I’m just kind of just used to it. It’s nice to see.”

    Susan Silveira moved from Brookline to Portland, Oregon, in late 2025. She flew back here for a doctor’s appointment Monday. With the blizzard, her appointment was rescheduled for Tuesday and then canceled altogether. She didn’t even mind.

    “It wasn’t terrible, because I have friends here, and I really enjoyed seeing them,” Silveira said.

    Even with her flights back to Portland delayed, Silveira said she holds no vendetta against the snow.

    “In Portland, there’s no snow, so it’s actually kind of a pleasure for me to see the snow, because I’m accustomed [to it,]” Silveira said. “It’s been a pleasurable several days, even with this appointment cancellation.”

    ‘It is beautiful’

    Corey Hill might not be the Tatra Mountains of his childhood in Poland, but Andrei Prey took his skis to the slopes there Tuesday.

    “It is beautiful, eh?” he said, gesturing to the snow-laden trees around him. “Normally there’s no chance to ski because there’s no snow.”

    He pulled down his sunglasses to return to his laps around Corey Hill Playground, where he was the sole visitor. “Profiter de la vie!” he said, as he skied away, French for “make the most of life.”

    Across the street, kids were doing just that with their day off from school. One child tasted fistful after fistful of snow, while another amassed a pile of the stuff with a miniature red shovel. Others flew down Corey Hill on sleds, shrieking when they wiped out, and ran back up to repeat the experience.

    Dillion Tharp (far left) takes it easy, while Lauren Tharp gives Jordan Tharp a push and Nora, Dillon’s classmate, works on a snow pile. Photo by Milena Fernsler

    High school math teacher Lauren Tharp gave her son’s sled a kick to send him down the hill, while her other son, 3-year-old Dillon, sat motionless on a reclining park chair, staring into space.

    “Dillon doesn’t like the snow,” she said. 

    He’s not the only one, of course. Not everybody is a fan of this relentless winter.

    Bill Cook, a retiree and part-time Brookline resident, lives on the South Shore most of the time, which is where he was headed after his trip to Trader Joe’s. He said the snow situation here is a lot better than what he’s dealing with on the shore.

    “We’re buried down there,” Cook said.

    However, he did have a comment about the snow management in Brookline.

    “The streets are pretty sloppy in a lot of places,” Cook said. “I don’t want to seem cranky, but for the taxes you pay, they probably should do a better job clearing the streets.”

    In an email to Town Meeting members and other Brookline officials, public works commissioner Erin Chute asked for patience as crews work to clear roads.

    “While conditions are improving, recovery from a storm of this magnitude is a multi-day effort,” Chute wrote. “Operations will continue for several days as we work toward restoring normal conditions across the community.”

    David Hill, a Brookline Police Department spokesperson, said there were no major incidents related to the blizzard as of Tuesday.

    “A few vehicles stuck in the snow, some wires down calls, some road hazard calls, seven traffic crashes … and a bunch of cars in violation of the parking ban,” he wrote in an email to Brookline.News.

    The snow-related delays on the MBTA have also been wearying for some.

    Ian Lebovitz, who has worked at J.P. Licks in Coolidge Corner, said his commute from Somerville has become increasingly difficult.

    “Now, it’s like an hour on the T,” Lebovitz said. “I get on the green line, ride it till Government Center, switch over to a different train, and then ride it another 30, 40 minutes… The worst part is just waiting for the train to show.”

    Some people, of course, are simply tired of all the shoveling.

    Ian Martz shoveled the snow from the top deck of his house Tuesday, showering the sidewalk below, after excavating his driveway and walkways.

    “Fun times,” he said sarcastically.

    This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • ‘The only thing ordinary people can do’: Brookliners head north to NH to protest region’s first large-scale ICE facility

    Milena Fernsler

    An hourlong drive, snow and a ruptured achilles tendon were not enough to stop 81-year-old Brookline activist Suzette Abbott from making her voice heard in Merrimack, New Hampshire.

    Abbott navigated from the passenger side of the Toyota Prius for her husband, David Klafter, 79, with three newly acquainted passengers squeezed into the back. Conversation in the car was periodically interrupted by a weather alert. 

    “Winter storm ahead,” said Google Maps. “Please proceed with caution.” 

    Unfazed by the warning, the group was among around 10 Brookliners who carpooled to Merrimack Saturday to protest plans for an immigrant detention center in a 324,000-square-foot warehouse.

    According to documents released by New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, the site would cost $158 million to renovate and could house up to 600 detained people at a time, which would make it the first large-scale detention facility in New England. 

    Confusion over the Republican governor’s knowledge of the acquisition and local outrage over the initiative drew more than 1,000 protesters to Merrimack Town Hall. As Abbott and Klafter pulled up, they were greeted with “ICE OUT” signs, an 8-foot cutout of the Statue of Liberty, cowbells and chants of “Ayotte is a liar.” 

    Protesters outside Merrimack Town Hall on Saturday, Feb. 21. Photo by Milena Fernsler

    “It’s not just about New Hampshire. It’s about all of New England,” said Deborah Good, a Brookline resident and retired social worker. She said she came because she believed everyone, not just those in Merrimack, would be affected by the warehouse. 

    “People who are our neighbors, our co-workers, our employees, our friends are under threat and will be dragged to this place,” Good said. “The only thing that ordinary people can do is make it known that we oppose.”

    Boston University biology professor Edward Loechler, who lives in Brookline, drove almost four hours from a music camp to be there. He voiced his concern for the lack of due process for immigrants in ICE detention. 

    “People are being denied their rights,” he said. 

    As of February 2026, nearly 70,000 people were held in detention centers nationwide, with reports of overcrowding and infrastructure unsuitable for human habitation raising health concerns. While the Trump administration has claimed this widespread crackdown on illegal immigration is targeting “violent criminals,” CBS News  reported that only about half of those arrested in the past year had criminal records – and fewer than 14% had been convicted of a violent crime.

    “​​This has nothing to do with criminality,” Klafter said. “It has everything to do with promoting a white nationalist agenda.” 

    Around him, numerous signs alluded to the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, reading “We are not Nazis” and “No Gestapo in America.”

    Passing vehicles were as much a part of the demonstration as those holding signs. Cars honked as they drove by – some angry honks, others in support. One man stepped out of his truck, yelling at the crowd “Go home!” until he was escorted by a volunteer peacekeeper.  

    An organized convoy of cars painted in anti-ICE slogans paraded midway through the standout and unaffiliated snow plows were met with applause by protesters who saw them as a symbolic representation of their calls to “remove ICE.”

    Amid the chaos, Abbott was stationed in a foldable chair because of her injury, sharing a cardboard sign with Klafter. She said it was important for her to be there. 

    David Klafter (left), Suzette Abbott (in the white hat), and Edward Loechler (in orange), converse with New Hampshire State Rep. Heath Howard (right) at the protest. Photo by Milena Fernsler

    Originally from South Africa, where she protested against apartheid rule in her youth, she has participated in social movements across decades.  

    “I grew up where everything was censored. There was government control of every newspaper. News, media, books were banned,” she said. “I see inklings of that now, which is pretty scary.” 

    One of four women who run the group Activist Evenings in Brookline, she said it is crucial for citizens to stand up to authority. 

    Klafter agreed. “I think ICE has to be resisted,” he said. “The resistance in Minneapolis really forced them to back down and withdraw. But even more than that, it really showed the whole country that you can stand up to these people.” 

    Once they’d had enough of the cold, Abbott and Klafter regrouped to head back. But first they had one more stop to make. Curious to see the contested warehouse, they found the road there marked “private property” and blocked by a security vehicle. The guard inside said he was unsure why he was stationed there and refused to provide further information. 

    The road to the contested warehouse was marked “private property” and blocked by a security vehicle. Photo by Milena Fernsler

    Back on the road, Abbott said she was already planning for the No Kings protest March 28. 

    “People in Brookline should be organizing,” she said. 

    This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • A plan for 18 small apartments in a vacant office building turned into four big luxury condos. Housing advocates aren’t happy.

    Eli Pekelny

    A vacant office building at 1093 Beacon St. is set to be turned into luxury apartments. Photo by Eli Pekelny.

    A plan to convert a vacant Brookline office building into four luxury condominiums has raised concerns among local housing advocates who want the project turned into smaller, affordable housing.

    The building, at 1093 Beacon Street, had contained offices for decades, but the pandemic lessened the need for office space. This pushed the owners, Lloyd Rosenthal and Mark Blotner, to propose converting the space into 18 apartments – mostly studios or one-bedrooms around 500 to 600 square feet.

    After their plan fell through, they sold the building to Matt Ramey of Concept Properties for $6.2 million in 2024. Concept then proposed turning the building into four luxury condos.

    Each condo would fill an entire floor, spanning 1,800 to 2,600 square feet, and include three bedrooms, four bathrooms and a private elevator, architectural plans show. The basement garage would contain a turntable that directs automobiles into parking spaces and a lift to bring cars down from street level.

    The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved this project in December. The developer now needs to submit final floor and landscape plans in order to get a building permit. Ramey did not return a reporter’s calls.

    Housing advocates told Brookline.News they prefer the previous plan, saying it would have improved affordable housing in Brookline.

    From empty to occupied?

    The building, which sits at the corner of Hawes Street, was originally intended for residential use, according to the developer’s attorney, Bob Allen. At the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting in December, Allen said the 13 vacant commercial units in 1093 Beacon go against the zoning laws of the multi-family district in which it is located.

    The project will contribute to the Brookline Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Allen told the board. A zoning by-law requires developers either include on-site affordable housing, or pay cash into the fund.

    The historic exterior of 1093 Beacon St. will be preserved, Allen said.

    “This is a great use of a building that’s been really sitting fairly empty for the last five years,” Allen said in the meeting.

    Allen did not return a reporter’s phone calls to discuss the project. A paralegal at his firm told Brookline.News he was occupied and could not be reached.

    Is luxury housing the best use?

    Local officials and advocates argue there are better uses of the building. 

    Steve Heikin, chair of the Brookline Planning Board and a member of the Brookline Housing Advisory Board, estimated that each condo will sell for $3 million at a time when affordable housing is desperately needed.

    “The Planning Board wants to see developers provide units that are not super luxury, large, expensive condominiums. We’re getting plenty of those,” said Heikin, a retired architect. “That’s what eventually happened with this particular building.”

    Heikin said the Planning Board was in favor of the previous plan to turn the building into 18 small apartments — save for one aspect.

    A proposed 60-foot accessibility ramp on the Hawes Street side of the building had its entrance at the back of the building. Heikin said the Planning Board thought this was not in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    “We basically said, ‘If you can find a better solution for handicapped access, we’d like to see that,’” Heikin said. “In the end, that project was dropped.” 

    As it stands, 1093 Beacon is also not ADA compliant, although there are plans to install a lift with access to the basement on the Hawes Street side of the building.

    “This went from a project that was going to provide a sizable number of small units to four super luxury units,” Heikin said. “They’re clearly not going to have an affordable unit in the building.”

    Community leaders respond

    Although the December meeting did not include public testimony, Brookline residents have opinions about the project.

    Jonathan Klein, a board member of the pro-housing group Brookline for Everyone, said he opposes the project and preferred the original plan.  

    “I think housing is really critical for people’s well-being — having a decent, safe place to live,” Klein said. “We are dismayed that housing costs are so high and Brookline is becoming so exclusive, and we think that that’s a problem, both of supply and demand.”

    Klein said he is “not enthusiastic about this project at all.”

    “I don’t know why it was not developed when there was a proposal to do a much larger number of smaller units, which would have been much better,” Klein said.

    Randolph Meiklejohn, a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, said deciding whether to approve a project comes down to  a “question of compliance” with zoning by-laws.

    “You could have a two-family house, take the whole place and turn it into one housing unit. And if that’s allowed by the zoning by-law, then you can do it,” Meiklejohn said. “For me, as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, I don’t have an opinion about whether that’s a good thing or bad thing.”

    Elizabeth Kane Tate, a communications professional, was one of 13 Brookline residents who wrote a letter of support for the current project.

    “The reality is that housing inventory in Brookline remains tight, and opportunities to add homes without dramatically changing the look and feel of the street are worth supporting,” Tate wrote. “Converting a mostly vacant commercial building into residential use is a sensible step in that direction.”

    Heikin said that one day he’ll decide that he doesn’t want to climb stairs and shovel snow anymore. He said he might look for something comparable to his current four-bedroom home.

    “If I sold my house — and still it’s worth a fair amount of money — I would not get as much money for this Victorian house as it would cost me to buy one of these units,” Heikin said. 

    This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • A plan for 18 small apartments in a vacant office building turned into four big luxury condos. Housing advocates aren’t happy.

    A plan for 18 small apartments in a vacant office building turned into four big luxury condos. Housing advocates aren’t happy.

    A vacant office building at 1093 Beacon St. is set to be turned into luxury apartments Photo by Eli Pekelny.

    A plan to convert a vacant Brookline office building into four luxury condominiums has raised concerns among local housing advocates who want the project turned into smaller, affordable housing.

    The building, at 1093 Beacon Street, had contained offices for decades, but the pandemic lessened the need for office space. This pushed the owners, Lloyd Rosenthal and Mark Blotner, to propose converting the space into 18 apartments – mostly studios or one-bedrooms around 500 to 600 square feet.

    After their plan fell through, they sold the building to Matt Ramey of Concept Properties for $6.2 million in 2024. Concept then proposed turning the building into four luxury condos.

    Each condo would fill an entire floor, spanning 1,800 to 2,600 square feet, and include three bedrooms, four bathrooms and a private elevator, architectural plans show. The basement garage would contain a turntable that directs automobiles into parking spaces and a lift to bring cars down from street level.

    The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved this project in December. The developer now needs to submit final floor and landscape plans in order to get a building permit. Ramey did not return a reporter’s calls.

    Housing advocates told Brookline.News they prefer the previous plan, saying it would have improved affordable housing in Brookline.

    From empty to occupied?

    The building, which sits at the corner of Hawes Street, was originally intended for residential use, according to the developer’s attorney, Bob Allen. At the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting in December, Allen said the 13 vacant commercial units in 1093 Beacon go against the zoning laws of the multi-family district in which it is located.

    The project will contribute to the Brookline Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Allen told the board. A zoning by-law requires developers either include on-site affordable housing, or pay cash into the fund.

    The historic exterior of 1093 Beacon St. will be preserved, Allen said.

    “This is a great use of a building that’s been really sitting fairly empty for the last five years,” Allen said in the meeting.

    Allen did not return a reporter’s phone calls to discuss the project. A paralegal at his firm told Brookline.News he was occupied and could not be reached.

    Is luxury housing the best use?

    Local officials and advocates argue there are better uses of the building. 

    Steve Heikin, chair of the Brookline Planning Board and a member of the Brookline Housing Advisory Board, estimated that each condo will sell for $3 million at a time when affordable housing is desperately needed.

    “The Planning Board wants to see developers provide units that are not super luxury, large, expensive condominiums. We’re getting plenty of those,” said Heikin, a retired architect. “That’s what eventually happened with this particular building.”

    Heikin said the Planning Board was in favor of the previous plan to turn the building into 18 small apartments — save for one aspect.

    A proposed 60-foot accessibility ramp on the Hawes Street side of the building had its entrance at the back of the building. Heikin said the Planning Board thought this was not in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    “We basically said, ‘If you can find a better solution for handicapped access, we’d like to see that,’” Heikin said. “In the end, that project was dropped.” 

    As it stands, 1093 Beacon is also not ADA compliant, although there are plans to install a lift with access to the basement on the Hawes Street side of the building.

    “This went from a project that was going to provide a sizable number of small units to four super luxury units,” Heikin said. “They’re clearly not going to have an affordable unit in the building.”

    Community leaders respond

    Although the December meeting did not include public testimony, Brookline residents have opinions about the project.

    Jonathan Klein, a board member of the pro-housing group Brookline for Everyone, said he opposes the project and preferred the original plan.  

    “I think housing is really critical for people’s well-being — having a decent, safe place to live,” Klein said. “We are dismayed that housing costs are so high and Brookline is becoming so exclusive, and we think that that’s a problem, both of supply and demand.”

    Klein said he is “not enthusiastic about this project at all.”

    “I don’t know why it was not developed when there was a proposal to do a much larger number of smaller units, which would have been much better,” Klein said.

    Randolph Meiklejohn, a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, said deciding whether to approve a project comes down to  a “question of compliance” with zoning by-laws.

    “You could have a two-family house, take the whole place and turn it into one housing unit. And if that’s allowed by the zoning by-law, then you can do it,” Meiklejohn said. “For me, as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, I don’t have an opinion about whether that’s a good thing or bad thing.”

    Elizabeth Kane Tate, a communications professional, was one of 13 Brookline residents who wrote a letter of support for the current project.

    “The reality is that housing inventory in Brookline remains tight, and opportunities to add homes without dramatically changing the look and feel of the street are worth supporting,” Tate wrote. “Converting a mostly vacant commercial building into residential use is a sensible step in that direction.”

    Heikin said that one day he’ll decide that he doesn’t want to climb stairs and shovel snow anymore. He said he might look for something comparable to his current four-bedroom home.

    “If I sold my house — and still it’s worth a fair amount of money — I would not get as much money for this Victorian house as it would cost me to buy one of these units,” Heikin said. 

    This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.