By Dan Murphy
Tatte Bakery & Café is planning to expand its existing retail space in the Charles Street Meeting House into two available, adjacent storefronts in a move that would more than double its current size.
Representatives for the growing chain of cafes was on hand for the Beacon Hill Civic Association Zoning and Licensing Committee’s virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3, detailed their plan, which would bring the size of the space from 1,400 square feet to 3,400 square feet, as well as increase its seating capacity from 25 to 80.
Brendan Boyle, vice president of real estate development for Tatte, said the proposed expansion would bring the space at 70 Charles St. “in line” with the size of its other 45 locations.
“Charles Street, while beloved, is the exception, not the rule,” said Boyle, adding that the space is currently too small to meet many of the business’s needs there.
A modern kitchen would be created in the northeast quadrant of the space, equipped with a modern exhaust hood, which would be vented via an existing chimney at the Meeting House in an effort to mitigate the café’s odor impact on neighbors, said Boyle.
The expanded space will also feature a “dedicated barista” with seating, added Boyle, as well as additional banquette around the perimeter.
Other expected benefits of the proposed restaurant expansion, including “cleaner streets and patio,” with all trash stored indoors in two new trash containers during business hours and collected overnight; the addition of new ADA-compliant restrooms and seating; the installation of a “modern ware washing system,” which will allow more meals to be served on dishware, not disposables, resulting in the generation of less trash; and a modern HVAC system, with an updated exhaust system for odor control, among other advantages, said Boyle.
Moreover, Tatte is pledging to honor a range of commitments to the neighborhood, said Boyle, which include in addition to doubling current trash storage capacity, the hiring of a ‘backup’ trash vendor; the implementation of increased pest control measures, including “special treatments in cooperation with [the] landlord”; the implementation of the ‘Little Brigade,’ which cleans Charles, River, and Mt. Vernon streets three times a day; and the hiring of ‘Tatte Liaisons’ to help resolve any issues that might arise on or around the site.
Kodomo, a children’s clothing store, will stay in the Meeting House while the two businesses that now occupy the two adjacent commercial space proposed for Tatte’s expansion will both remain in the neighborhood.
If approved by the city, the proposed restaurant expansion, which is expected to cost around $2 million and won’t require any exterior changes, is expected to take six months to complete, said Boyle, with the project expected to kick off Jan. 2 and wrap up next June 15.
Tatte intends to enter into a 10-year lease for the space, said Boyle, but that document hasn’t been signed yet as the agreement would be contingent only upon the city’s approval of the proposed expansion.
Committee co-chair Tom Clemens reiterated a request made by committee member (and BHCA board chair) Joshua Leffler that Tatte sign a standard ‘good neighbor’ agreement with the Civic Association as a condition of the business earning a vote of non-opposition from the committee.
In response, Boyle indicated that Tatte would be entirely willing to sign a good neighbor’s agreement but wanted clarification on a couple of the document’s minor points.
A motion put forth by committee member Meghan Awe to not oppose the applicant’s request for the conditional-use zoning relief from the city’s Zoning Board of Appeal, contingent on Tatte signing a good neighbor agreement deemed satisfactory to both committee chairs (Clemens and Kathy Judge), received a unanimous vote of approval, 15-0-0.
In another matter, the committee voted unanimously (again 15-0-0) to approve a motion made by committee member Al Van Ranst not to oppose the requested zoning relief from the ZBA that would allow a proposed affordable home-ownership project on Hancock Street to move forward.
Per its agreement with developer JDMD, the nonprofit Fenway CDC (Community Development Center) is redeveloping two adjacent properties located at 27-29 Hancock St., which are both currently zoned as lodging houses, into a total of 15 units at 80-100 percent AMI (Area Median Income) for new homeowners.
Construction is expected to take around 15 months to complete, after kicking off at the end of this year or in January of next year. Closing on the sale of the residential units is then expected to follow in the third quarter of ’27, said Eddie Quinn, real estate project manager for Fenway CDC.
The committee’s determination on this matter came with provisos that a restriction on any new roofdecks on the buildings be memorialized; that a transportation management plan be submitted by the applicant; and that an effort be made to give precedence for housing to displaced former neighborhood residents via any available legal means.
During public testimony, Harold Brink, president of Homes on Hancock – a grass-roots group which continually advocated for the creation of adequate affordable housing at 27-29 Hancock St. – said his group had worked closely and extensively with both Fenway CDC and the city in developing the current project layout, and that his group is “very much in support” of this latest project iteration.
Likewise, John Gulliver, co-founder of Homes on Hancock, as well as a BHCA board member, said he is “very confident the Fenway CDC will do a great job.”
Gulliver also noted there is now only one affordable home ownership unit on Beacon Hill, so the proposed project would have a significant impact in the neighborhood.
“After years of dedication from neighbors, stakeholders, and elected officials, we’re thrilled to take this critical step forward in supporting Fenway CDC’s proposal,” said Gulliver in a statement. “The affordable homeownership solution at 27/29 Hancock will help meet the immediate needs of Beacon Hill and the city as a whole.”
JDMD, which developed The Archer Residences – a luxury condo building on Temple Street – purchased 27-29 Hancock St. in 2018, with plans to gift the buildings to another developer for the creation of off-site affordable housing units to satisfy its IDP (Inclusionary Development Policy) with the city for the Archer project.
Meanwhile, the committee’s determinations on both matters were ratified by the BHCA board at the group’s monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 8.