WORCESTER — A local developer is looking to add three multiunit residential buildings to the skyline once defined by the former Table Talk Pies factory.
The plans of Rossi Development, owned by local developer Anthony Rossi, include two five-story buildings on either side of the former Smokehouse Urban Barbecue building and a seven-story building behind the former Table Talk Pies headquarters, all different parcels addressed at 120 Washington St.
The attorney representing Rossi, Mark A. Borenstein of Prince Lobel Tye LLP, said Friday that two of the new buildings will respectively feature 38 and 36 studio units, and each will feature two commercial units for retail purposes.
An artist rendering of the 38-unit apartment building planned for 120 Washington St.
The buildings will be located on either side of the former Smokestack Urban Barbecue location, which is now expected to be home to 139 Saloon, an Asian restaurant that was approved by the License Commission on Feb. 6 for a common victualer license.
The lot that Rossi is eyeing for the 38-unit building is about 5,739 square feet; the one where he is looking to build the 36-unit building is about 5,269 square feet, according to plans presented by Borenstein to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
There are no plans to construct parking for these projects as they’re found within the Business General zoning (BG-6), where “the project can be permitted without any requisite off-street parking supply,” documents say.
The documents further state that Rossi “desires to provide a reasonable supply of on-site parking to ensure the viability of the leasing for the proposed units and to reduce the likelihood of parking impacts within the Canal District.”
Borenstein said he could not comment further on the parking plans.
Those two projects are due to appear in front of the ZBA for approvals in March, Borenstein added.
In addition to the two projects, the seven-story building that Rossi is looking to build would be found on the parcel bound by Madison and Spruce streets and would be found behind the former Table Talk Pies headquarters.
Borenstein said that plans for that building include 90 studio units and two commercial spaces with a total of 1,650 square feet of retail space.
The project also includes the construction of 77 parking spaces, which will consist of spaces on the lower levels of the building — known as podium parking — and surface parking on the lot, according to plans.
Blueprints are due to appear in front of the Planning Board in March, Borenstein said.
Rossi doesn’t own the properties, although he is looking to acquire them for the development plans, according to Borenstein’s presentations with the ZBA and Planning Board late last year and earlier this year.
The three properties are owned by Boston Capital LLC, a developer that had previously wanted to redevelop all of the former Table Talk Pies factory property but has since changed course, redeveloping only some of the parcels.
Along Madison Street, Boston Capital wrapped up last year construction of an 83-unit residential building named District 120, which neighbors the property where Rossi is looking to build the seven-story building.
These projects are the latest to come in front of boards seeking approvals to build on the former Table Talk Pies factory. The iconic pie maker left its longtime property in 2022 to relocate at a 135,000-square-foot headquarters at 58 Gardner St.
Most of the former property along Green Street was demolished for development except for the headquarters at 153 Green St.
In 2023, Rossi purchased that property from Boston Capital to redevelop; that building is on its way to becoming a residential building with 53 apartments.
Another residential project was approved by the Planning Board in January for Watertown-based SMC Management Corp. to construct a seven-story residential building with 185 units behind the former Smokestack Urban Barbecue building.
The units for that project will comprise 29 studios, 86 one-bedroom units, 70 two-bedroom units and two levels of parking that will take up part of the two ground levels with 233 parking spaces, according to a presentation by Borenstein, who also represented the developer for this project.
The ground floor of that project will include a lounge area, a meeting room and a dog spa, while the second floor will feature a fitness center and a yoga studio, among other amenities, Borenstein said in front of the ZBA in January.
The project is also set to contain two courtyards.
According to the developer’s website, construction is expected to start this summer.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Apartment buildings proposed near former Smokestack BBQ on Green Street
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