Executive Summary
The Cambridge Planning Board met on March 10, 2026, to conduct advisory consultations for two Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) projects. The first, Case AHO 10 (Corcoran Park Phase 1), involves the construction of 67 affordable rental units across two buildings in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood. The second, Case AHO 11 (240 Broadway), proposes a six-story building with 16 affordable units. Both projects underwent design review, with the Board focusing on pedestrian experience, parking ratios, and the integration of high-density affordable housing into existing residential contexts. The Board also received updates from the Community Development Department regarding upcoming City Council committee meetings and the inaugural Annual Housing Review.
Meeting Metadata
- Governing Body: Cambridge Planning Board
- Meeting Type: Regular Meeting (Remote Participation)
- Date: March 10, 2026
- Chair: Tom Sieniewicz
- Members Present: Tom Sieniewicz (Chair), H. Theodore Cohen, Mary Flynn, Mary Lydecker, Diego Macias, Ashley Tan, Carolyn Zern
- Associate Members Present: Dan Anderson, Joy Jackson
- Staff Present: Evan Spatrini (Senior Manager for Zoning and Development), Swati Joseph, Becca Mpuri, Eric Thorkeldsen, Susanna Bigelin, Cassie Arnault, Christine Yu, Alexis Turgeon, Sophia Defoe
Approval of Meeting Minutes
- Item: Certified transcripts for the meeting held on February 10, 2026.
- Action: The Board voted to accept the transcripts as the meeting minutes.
- Motion: Carolyn Zern
- Second: Diego Macias
- Vote Outcome: 7-0-0 (Approved)
- In Favor: H. Theodore Cohen, Mary Flynn, Mary Lydecker, Diego Macias, Ashley Tan, Carolyn Zern, Tom Sieniewicz
Community Development Department (CDD) Update
- Ordinance Committee Meeting (March 11, 2026): Discussion regarding a zoning petition for active uses on Mass Ave and Cambridge Street.
- Housing Committee Meeting: Update on Central Square planning.
- Annual Housing Review (March 25, 2026): A joint meeting of the Neighborhood, Long-Term Planning, and Housing Committees to conduct the first annual review established by last year's multi-family zoning reform.
Case AHO 10: Corcoran Park Phase 1 LLC (8-12 May Street and 53 Lawn Street)
- Project Description: Advisory consultation for an Affordable Housing Overlay project to construct a four-story building and a three-story building.
- Units: 67 affordable rental units.
- Gross Floor Area: 82,407 square feet.
- Parking: 33 off-street parking spaces, 42 long-term bicycle spaces, and 12 short-term bicycle spaces.
- Developer Presentation (Matt Zajac, CHA):
- Emphasized enhancements to the central courtyard and parking lot screening.
- Noted that podium parking would cost an additional $50,000 per unit, which is not feasible under current funding.
- Increased tree count from 75 to 81.
- Public Comment:
- Christine Kuta (7 Fairview Ave): Expressed concern over the parking shortage in the neighborhood. Quote: "I implore you, please, to put at least those three parking spaces back. It doesn't take much to ruin the feel of a neighborhood when you cannot have your friends over... because there's literally no place to park."
- Board Discussion:
- Density and Parking: Members discussed the balance between the high demand for housing (14,000+ on the CHA waitlist) and neighborhood parking concerns.
- Design: Members praised the improved residential character of Building B and the redesigned entry plaza for Building A.
- Open Space: The removal of the play area was discussed; staff noted that play areas would be consolidated in Phase 2 to allow for a larger, multi-functional lawn in Phase 1.
- Action: Motion to conclude the design consultation.
- Motion: Carolyn Zern
- Second: H. Theodore Cohen
- Vote Outcome: 7-0-0 (Approved)
- In Favor: H. Theodore Cohen, Mary Flynn, Mary Lydecker, Diego Macias, Ashley Tan, Carolyn Zern, Tom Sieniewicz
Case AHO 11: Just-A-Start Corporation (240 Broadway)
- Project Description: Advisory consultation for an AHO project to construct a six-story building.
- Units: 16 affordable rental units (focused on 2 and 3-bedroom family units).
- Gross Floor Area: 24,278 square feet.
- Height: 66 feet.
- Sustainability: Designed to Passive House standards.
- Developer Presentation (Noah Sawyer, Just-A-Start):
- Highlighted the reduction in unit count and increase in family-sized units based on community feedback.
- The building features a chamfered corner to improve intersection visibility near the Fletcher Maynard School.
- Public Comment:
- David DeCelis (Adjacent Neighbor): Opposed the project's scale. Quote: "We are of the belief that six floors is simply too high for this site... this proposed scheme would result in the tallest residential specific non-adaptive reuse project between Quincy Street and Kendall Square."
- Board Discussion:
- Ground Floor Activation: The Board criticized the ground floor layout, noting that utility rooms (transformer, trash, bikes) dominated the street frontage. Chair Sieniewicz suggested moving active uses like the laundry room to the perimeter.
- Aesthetics: H. Theodore Cohen strongly criticized the top floor design. Quote: "To my eyes, the building looks like you had an old five-story building and you added a six-story on the top. It makes no sense to me in terms of it fitting with the rest of the building."
- CDD Memo: The Board referenced a CDD memo stating the elevations were "heavy and uninviting in appearance across all elevations."
- Action: Motion to conclude the design consultation and submit a report with comments to the Superintendent of Buildings.
- Motion: H. Theodore Cohen
- Second: Mary Flynn
- Vote Outcome: 7-0-0 (Approved)
- In Favor: H. Theodore Cohen, Mary Flynn, Mary Lydecker, Diego Macias, Ashley Tan, Carolyn Zern, Tom Sieniewicz