Boston ZBA Approves 144-Unit South Boston Development, Dozens of Other Housing Cases

BOSTON — January 27, 2026 — Boston ZBA greenlights 144-unit South Boston development and more than a dozen housing cases. The Boston Zoning Board of Appeal voted unanimously January 27 to approve a 144-unit residential project at 181 West First Street in South Boston, brought by attorney Joe Hanley on behalf of owner-developer Peter Zagorianakis of Triad Alpha Partners, increasing an earlier-approved project from 97 units and adding a 13 percent affordable housing component with ground-floor retail. The board also unanimously approved a contested single-family-to-two-family conversion at 774 East Broadway over the objections of 87 petition signers, the City Point Neighborhood Association, City Councilor Michael Flinn, and Senator Collins's office, conditioning approval on privacy screens at rear egress platforms. At 27 Wendover Street, the board approved a revised six-unit building, down from a previously approved nine-unit scheme, after board member Barraza pressed applicant attorney Mike Ross on why the project's two affordable units were eliminated just three months after the original October 2025 approval. "I'm very curious to understand why in just three months did you discover that your project was not feasible," Barraza said, adding that the applicant was "keeping the same size, the same dimensions, making the units bigger and eliminating the affordable units." The session also approved a four-unit condo at 27 Milton Street with an 80 percent AMI affordable unit, legalizations at 9 Hamlet Street and 11 Inwood Street, and a 501 Boylston Street conditional use permit for a fitness studio and potential future bank — with no bank tenant yet identified.