South Boston developer shrinks D Street apartment plan after zoning rejection

Overview

Updated 43 minutes ago

A developer who proposed 70 apartments on D Street in South Boston with no parking will now try for 60 apartments and 34 parking spaces. Sing Ming Chan filed the revised plan on Nov. 5, 2026, about 18 months after the Zoning Board of Appeal rejected his first proposal.

The rejection turned on parking. Neighbors and U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch said the no-parking building would worsen a neighborhood parking crunch, even though the site sits near two Red Line stops. The new plan uses an automated parking stacker across the basement and part of the ground floor, and adds about 1,100 square feet of ground-floor retail.

Why it matters

The revised D Street plan tests whether Boston can add housing near transit when neighbors demand parking, a trade-off facing every growing city.

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Key Indicators

Units in rejected plan

The Zoning Board of Appeal rejected the nine-story, no-parking proposal.

Units in revised plan

The new proposal is seven stories with 34 parking spaces.

Parking spaces in revised plan

Cars would be stored in an automated stacker system.

5-2

Zoning Board vote to reject first plan

The board voted 5-2 on April 29, 2025.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Sing Ming Chan

Developer

Filed revised 60-unit plan for 49 D St.

Stephen Lynch

U.S. Representative for Massachusetts

Opposed the no-parking plan

Linda Zablocki

President, Andrew Square Civic Association

Opposed the first proposal

Organizations Involved

Boston Zoning Board of Appeals

City quasi-judicial board

Rejected the first 70-unit plan; would review any revised plan

The board votes on zoning variances and appeals for Boston developments.

Boston Planning Department

City agency

Approved first plan; received revised notice

The department reviews major development proposals before zoning approval.

Andrew Square Civic Association

Neighborhood civic group

Opposed the first proposal

A South Boston neighborhood group that opposed the no-parking apartment plan.

Timeline

November 2024 November 2026

3 events Latest: Yesterday

November 2026
Developer files revised 60-unit plan
Latest Filing

Sing Ming Chan proposes a seven-story, 60-unit building with 34 parking spaces in an automated stacker.
Yesterday
April 2025
Zoning Board rejects 70-unit plan
Zoning decision

The board voted 5-2 to reject the no-parking building after neighbors and Rep. Stephen Lynch objected.
April 29th, 2025
November 2024
Planning department approves 70-unit no-parking plan
Approval

The Boston Planning Department approved Sing Ming Chan's nine-story, 70-unit proposal at 49 D St.
November 2024

Scenarios

Revised D Street plan wins zoning approval

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Local housing advocates and the developer's attorney

The new plan adds 34 parking spaces and cuts 10 units, addressing the ZBA's stated concern. If the board accepts the trade-off, construction could begin after building permits.

ZBA rejects revised plan despite parking

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Neighborhood opponents and zoning observers

Neighbors could still object to the building's height, traffic, or automated parking system. A second rejection would force another redesign or a lawsuit.

Developer scales back further or sells the site

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: Real estate analysts

If the revised plan stalls, Chan could cut more units, drop the project, or sell the parcel. The site currently holds a two-story industrial building and surface parking.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2022

California eliminates parking minimums near transit (2022)

California enacted AB 2097, which bars local governments from requiring parking for new residential and commercial projects within half a mile of major transit stops. The law aimed to lower construction costs and encourage transit use.

Then

Some cities adjusted local rules; developers began testing projects with less parking.

Now

The law became a national model for parking reform, though local opposition to dense, low-parking projects continued.

Why this matters now

Boston's D Street fight shows the same tension: a transit-adjacent site where neighbors still demand parking.

December 2018

Minneapolis ends single-family zoning (2018)

The Minneapolis City Council approved the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which ended single-family-only zoning and allowed duplexes and triplexes in most neighborhoods. The plan was meant to add housing and address segregation.

Then

The plan passed after years of debate and faced a lawsuit over its environmental review.

Now

Minneapolis became a reference point for citywide upzoning, with other cities copying parts of the plan.

Why this matters now

It shows how citywide housing goals run into block-level concerns about parking, traffic, and neighborhood character.