Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Boston board clears Roslindale triple-decker expansion under new zoning

Boston board clears Roslindale triple-decker expansion under new zoning

Rule Changes Boston, MA local

Zoning Board of Appeal approves 13 apartments at 4012 Washington St., with ground-floor residential use.

Yesterday: ZBA approves 13-unit 4012 Washington project

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

A six-unit triple-decker at 4012 Washington Street in Roslindale is empty. On Nov. 10, Boston's Zoning Board of Appeal approved turning it into a five-story, 13-apartment building.

The project needed no zoning variances because Roslindale's Squares + Streets zoning allows the height and density as of right. The board did grant a conditional permit for ground-floor apartments, since the new zoning prefers commercial space but does not require it.

Why it matters

The approval shows how Boston's corridor rezoning can convert old triple-deckers into denser housing without variances, while ground-floor retail remains a negotiation.

Last Monday's email for Boston, MA

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

13
Apartments approved
All units would have two or three bedrooms.
5
Stories
The new building would rise five stories on the Washington Street lot.
$2M
Purchase price
Developer Andreas Hwang bought the empty triple-decker in March 2026.
6
Existing units
The current building is an empty six-unit triple-decker.
0
Zoning variances
The project fit within the new Roslindale zoning without variances.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

AH
Andreas Hwang
Developer of 4012 Washington St.
Approved by the Zoning Board of Appeal; seeking building permits
AZ
Abdul-Razak Zachariah
Planning Department official who led the Roslindale rezoning
Not directly involved in the 4012 Washington decision
BB
Ben Bruno
President, WalkUP Roslindale
Supported the 2025 Roslindale Square rezoning

Organizations Involved

Boston Zoning Board of Appeals
Boston Zoning Board of Appeals
City quasi-judicial board
Approved the 4012 Washington St. project with a conditional permit

The board grants conditional permits and zoning relief for Boston projects.
Boston Planning Department
Boston Planning Department
City agency
Wrote and mapped the Roslindale Squares + Streets zoning

The department led the Roslindale Square Small Area Plan and zoning changes.
WR
WalkUP Roslindale
Neighborhood housing advocacy group
Supported the 2025 Roslindale Square rezoning

Pro-housing neighborhood group that backed the 2025 rezoning.

Timeline

February 2025 November 2026

5 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. ZBA approves 13-unit 4012 Washington project

    Latest Approval

    The board granted a conditional permit for ground-floor residential use; no zoning variances were needed.

  2. Developer buys 4012 Washington St.

    Property

    Andreas Hwang paid $2 million for the empty six-unit triple-decker.

  3. New Roslindale zoning takes effect

    Policy

    The rules allow buildings up to five and seven stories in mapped districts.

  4. Zoning Commission adopts Roslindale Square rules

    Policy

    The amendments created S-0 through S-5 districts along Washington Street and nearby corridors.

  5. BPDA board adopts Roslindale Square plan

    Policy

    The board adopted the Small Area Plan that set the vision for new housing near the Square.

Scenarios

1

Construction begins at 4012 Washington by late 2027

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Developer approval and Boston building-permit records

Hwang still needs a building permit and construction financing before work can start. The zoning approval clears the land-use hurdle but not the construction schedule.

2

Ground-floor retail added before construction

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Zoning Board of Appeal conditional permit and developer statements

The zoning preference for commercial ground floors could push a revision if retail demand improves or city officials ask for it. Hwang said residential leasing is easier now.

3

More Washington Street triple-deckers converted under new zoning

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: WalkUP Roslindale and local development filings

The same as-of-right rules apply to other triple-deckers along mapped Washington Street corridors. Each conversion faces separate permitting and financing.

Historical Context

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

February 2025

Cambridge citywide rezoning (2025)

The Cambridge City Council voted 8-1 to eliminate single-family zoning citywide and allow four-story multifamily buildings. The change applied to the whole city, not just mapped corridors.

Then

Cambridge became one of the first Massachusetts cities to legalize multifamily housing citywide.

Now

The vote set a contrast with Boston's neighborhood-by-neighborhood Squares + Streets approach.

Why this matters now

Roslindale's rezoning is narrower. It changes height and density along Washington Street and nearby corridors while leaving side streets under old rules.

2008

Roslindale's previous zoning (2008)

Roslindale Square's zoning had not been updated since 2008. Most of the Square had a 35-foot height limit, and the rules constrained multifamily buildings.

Then

The old code made many expansions and new apartment buildings require zoning relief.

Now

The 2025 Squares + Streets amendments replaced those limits in mapped districts, allowing as-of-right projects like 4012 Washington.

Why this matters now

The 4012 approval shows what the new rules allow without variances: a five-story, 13-unit building on a triple-decker lot.

Sources

(4)
Universal Hub Maxfield Real Estate Muncey Group WalkUP Roslindale