Chelsea Panel Backs Two Apartment Projects
The Chelsea Planning Board recommended approval of residential developments at 320 Revere Beach Parkway and 139-143 Essex Street.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Construction
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The Chelsea Planning Board recommended approval of special permits for a revised 60-unit residential plan at 320 Revere Beach Parkway, the former Russo Tux and Limo site, and 15 one-bedroom apartments over an existing garage at 139-143 Essex Street. The Zoning Board of Appeals will consider special permits for both projects at its November 10 meeting.
Why it matters
The approvals move two residential developments in Chelsea closer to construction, adding housing units to the city. Revisions to the Revere Beach Parkway plan were made to address abutter concerns and parking issues on nearby streets.
The revised Revere Beach Parkway plan reduces the residential count from 67 units to 60 and lowers the building by one floor. The Essex Street project will be self-financed and take about 10 months to complete once construction begins.
The players
Chelsea Planning Board
The Chelsea Planning Board is the municipal body that reviews site plans and recommends approvals for development projects within the city.
Zoning Board of Appeals
The Chelsea Zoning Board of Appeals is the local body that grants special permits and hears appeals on zoning matters in the city.
The details
At 320 Revere Beach Parkway, the developer added on-site space for a management office, trash and bike storage, and a mail delivery room on the first floor, and addressed parking issues on Adams Street. The planning board also introduced a condition that six on-site parking spaces at 139-143 Essex Street be set aside for visitor parking.
Timeline
Planning board recommended both developments at its regular meeting last week.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will consider special permits for both projects on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Construction at 139-143 Essex Street is expected to begin in winter or early spring 2027.
Construction Pipeline
Both projects must clear the Zoning Board of Appeals special permit process that governs multifamily developments in Chelsea before any construction can begin. The approvals add two more residential projects to the city's near-term development pipeline.
Chelsea residents near Revere Beach Parkway and Essex Street will see new apartment construction, and visitor parking at the Essex Street site is set aside to ease pressure on nearby streets. Residents near Adams Street may notice the parking changes the developer has made to address neighborhood concerns.
The takeaway
Residents tracking Chelsea housing should watch the November 10 Zoning Board of Appeals vote, since it determines whether both apartment projects can move toward construction.
What happens next
The Zoning Board of Appeals will consider special permits for both the 320 Revere Beach Parkway and 139-143 Essex Street projects on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Further reading
For more on local building activity, see Construction coverage across Chelsea.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chelsearecord.
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