What originally was thought to be a small meeting amongst a dozen neighbors turned into a spirited gathering of close to double that Tuesday night at Mike’s City Diner on 1714 Washington St.
Jay Hajj and his business partner, James Robertson Jr. of Origen Property, had invited abutting residents to a meeting that night to discuss their purchase of Hite Radio and TV and to give neighbors a chance to express their concerns and feelings about their proposed plan for the space.
For over an hour, the two talked about plans, and displayed tentative architectural designs for the property. The property, located just a block away from Mike’s, currently boasts a banner declaring its 74th anniversary as an electronics shop, but Hajj and Robertson are hoping to turn the building into a mixed-use space, proposing to construct five residential floors atop a first-floor restaurant.
Neighbors at the meeting expressed concern over what a restaurant would bring to the area. For some, the problem was concern about their light being blocked. For most, though, the problem was the kind of issues a restaurant would bring.
One resident, who declined to be identified for this article, said he and his brother were "vehemently opposed to the restaurant space because of the noise, the smells, the trash, the rodents... that one element changes the whole feeling of the space."
Hajj made mention during the meeting that he currently has two "nationally-known chefs" who are interested in the space, but declined to give names or specifics.
For many at the meeting, that didn’t matter.
Stacey Cannon, who has lived on Washington Street for a year and a half, was very vocal at the meeting, expressing support of the residential development, but opposition to the restaurant.
"I want to be fair," she said. "We are open to commercial development, I know that makes it easier for their project to be profitable, but it’s specifically the restaurant idea that we are opposed to because of all that would go with it; longer hours, more sidewalk congestion, noise, etcetera."
However, some residents of Allan House, the property sitting across Worcester St. from Hite Radio and TV, expressed approval for the restaurant, approaching Robertson and Hajj at the end of the meeting.
"I don’t want you to think that everyone is against it," said the residents, who declined to be identified in this article.
Responding to what, at times, was a barrage of questions regarding how plans will be carried out and what potential effects could be felt by the abutters, Robertson kept his cool, and insisted that he had a vested interest in making sure everyone was happy with the final result.
Roberston said, "I’ve made my living in the South End. I have a very good reputation in regards to how my projects are carried out. I’ve got the South End News here, I can’t go back on my word!"
Current tentative plans show details for a building that would utilize the existing building footprint, with a minor front window that bumps out three feet on the first floor restaurant space. The subsequent five floors would be luxury condo spaces that would not include any parking or outdoor space, save for a shared roof deck. What the building would lack in extra space would be made up for in "every kind of amenity you can think of," said Robertson.
When the meeting was over, Hajj expressed surprise at how the meeting went.
"When we first came up with this idea, I thought everyone would see the positive in it," he said after the meeting was over. "When I moved here 16 years ago, and the neighborhood was not so good, people still complained about that space."
Robertson, however, felt positive about working things out with the neighbors. "We’re excited," he said. "We’ve got some things to think about, and we’re going to try to get answers so we can try to solve some of the issues that were raised today."
Hajj and Robertson will hold more neighborhood meetings to discuss the plans, as well as conduct a light study to address concerns from the abutters regarding what would happen to existing units’ natural light sources.
"In the end, the abutters have to be happy. I don’t want to make any enemies," said Hajj.
