Grampy’s Gas Station to Become Office & Retail Building on Cambridge Street in Beacon Hill

By Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
The long-delayed development of the 296 Cambridge Street property was finally greenlighted by the Boston Redevelopment Authority.
The Board approved a revised proposal for the project located at 296 Cambridge Street in Beacon Hill. After many changes in size and scope, the project is now a five-story, 35,000-square-foot brick building with commercial offices on the upper floors, and retail on the ground floor.
“The building features details that are reminiscent of Beacon Hill and other recently built buildings on Cambridge Street,” says architect Elizabeth Church of CBT, who is working with Don Megathlin of Talanian Realty as the developer, and Henry Kara as the legal counsel.
Original plans for residences and a garage are no longer being considered; Church said they “worked with the neighborhood to make it more compatible with the smaller neighborhood residential buildings.”
“It’s going to be a very nice building that will help to keep the edge of Cambridge Street consistent with what’s there.” They also promise to work with the Cambridge Street Community Development Corp. to keep up with area plantings.
The entrance for the building will be on Cambridge Street. “We’ve met with the BHCA and I believe they have the checklist with them. They gave us a vote of confidence, as we move into the BRA
process.”
Church had no predictions for how long the project would take. A call to Talanian was not returned by deadline. “Permitting is such a nebulous process,” she said. “I have no predictions for how long it will take. The neighborhood likes it, I think the city likes it; It’s very close to the 2003 design that was approved. I don’t forsee any trouble.”
BHCA executive director Suzanne Besser says they do not oppose the project. Talanian Realty, the developer, was approved by the BRA Board on April 10, 2003 to construct 16 one and two bedroom residential units with first floor retail space. The BRA since then approved the switch to a non-residential project.
For years, the project was delayed because of the reconstruction of Cambridge Street, and a moratorium of utility construction in the street. On October 16, the developer filed a Notice of Project Change that proposed a five-story office building with retail on the first floor.
“It’s not going forward as previously approved since the release states that we approved the project change and the uses are different,” said BRA spokesperson Jessica Shumaker. “The previous proposal was for a building that had 4 and 6 stories – now it will be just 5 stories. The previous height was 65 feet and now it will be 62 feet.”
“We still have permits to go through -- board of appeal, the architectural commission, other permists from the city, then we need to submit all of our design plans, construction documents… it could be finished by spring 2010,” said Megathlin, vice president at Talanian. Talanian will wait until mid-to-late 2009 to secure financing. “Now is not a good time to start, anyway,” Megathlin said.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced this project, along with three other projects that total more than $75 million in private investment, which received approvals from the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s Board of Directors. The projects represent more than 330 construction jobs. “We continue to see people investing in our city,” Mayor Menino said. “These development projects will greatly add to the overall quality of life in our city – and they represent new jobs and homes for our residents.”
The development site will replace the current Grampy’s Gulf Station, which includes a convenience store and Villa Mexico Café, a tiny burrito stand. It is between Strong Place and Grove Street at the base of Beacon Hill, across from Mass General Hospital.
According to the BRA, total development cost is approximately $9.5 million, and the project will create about 30 construction jobs.
The original building proposed for the site was about twice the size of another constructed by Talanian years before, at 326 Cambridge Street.
The proposed six-story residential and retail project was opposed by area residents, including abutters Jim Higgins and Rui Monteiro-Claro, who believed their adjacent home at Zero Strong Place would be dwarfed by the massive building, reducing their light and views. John Achatz, BHCA zoning and licensing co-chair, said the zoning and licensing committee reviewed issues, and the sub-committee reached agreement when Talanian agreed to step down part of the building to four stories, resulting in a loss of 6000 square feet to the building’s total floor area. The project was then given the green light by the BHCA and the city zoning board of appeal in May 2003.
Megathlin said they dropped the plans for residences when the BHCA reduced the size of the building. “It was economically infeasible to reduce the size of the project. This time they were much more supportive of our efforts and the needs we had, and we are appreciative of their support.”
Church said that the local favorite Villa Mexico Café, which serves burritos within the convenience store of Grampy’s, would be welcome to apply for a storefront. “I don’t think we could sell gas, but we could have a place for burritos,” she said with a smile.
Villa Mexico owner Julie King continued to make her burritos on Friday, not a bit worried about the announcement. She has a lease for another year and a half, and if she can’t afford a space in the new building, she said she’ll figure something out. “God will show the way,” she said. “People are asking me, what will I do? I love it here. If I have to, I’ll get a cart and go on a corner.”