Boston Zoning Board Approves Nine Projects, Including Downtown Office Conversion

BOSTON — February 3, 2026 — Boston's Zoning Board of Appeal approved nine development cases at its February 3 virtual hearing, advancing projects ranging from a downtown office conversion to East Boston multifamily additions. The board unanimously approved the conversion of the historic Bowker Building at 295-297 Franklin Street — a five-story Queen Anne structure dating to around 1870 — into 18 residential units and ground-floor retail, with three units income-restricted at 60 percent AMI under Article 79; the BPDA Board had approved the project in June 2025. A supplemental variance for the 318-unit, roughly 54-unit-affordable multifamily project at 22-24 Pratt Street in Allston was granted to resolve a split-zoning driveway issue left over from the October 2025 approval. In East Boston, a revised three-unit building at 191 Brook Street was approved over a planning department denial recommendation and a 13-7 neighborhood association opposition vote, prompting board member Benabraza to flag the ongoing tension between the recently amended East Boston zoning code and case-by-case height variances. A Hyde Park subdivision at 24 and 28 Williams Avenue was approved with a site-plan review proviso after an abutter argued the project would worsen street parking and eliminate green space. Three cases were deferred to March 10, 2026, including 567-577 Amory Street, where attorney Mike Ross cited unresolved community support issues.