PROVINCETOWN — A proposed development near the town’s evolving Shank Painter corridor will start making its way through the permitting process soon, with a review by the Cape Cod Commission as a “development of regional impact” set for a hearing later this month.
New Boston Ventures, a developer based in Boston’s South End, has proposed a 36-unit condominium project at 44 Captain Bertie’s Way. It plans to sell 10 of those units — a relatively high 28 percent of the total — at affordable prices under the town’s inclusionary bylaw.
The company, whose principals are David Goldman and Dennis Kanin, bought the half-acre lot just behind Mac’s Fish House for $4 million from local developer Thomas Tannariello in mid-January. They had been working with local officials on project details for several months before that, according to documents filed online. The site is now vacant, but it was once occupied by a one-story auto repair shop.
Based on plans submitted to the town, the units will be built in a 44,000-square-foot four-story L-shaped building with an elevator and a below-grade parking garage for 28 vehicles. The project features a courtyard and swimming pool for owners.
In a March 17 phone interview, Goldman said the 26 market-rate condominiums “will be competitive with other things on the market.” Regarding the 10 affordable condos, “We’re waiting for the town to tell us what they want,” Goldman said.
Under the town’s inclusionary bylaw, the community housing council decides on the income level, and therefore the pricing, for new affordable-ownership units.
The housing-needs assessment completed by the UMass Donahue Institute in September 2024 found there is an acute need in Provincetown for housing options for households earning between 80 and 200 percent of the county’s median income — a range often referred to as the “missing middle.”
Barnstable County’s median income for a single-person household is $88,700.
Inclusionary zoning allows for a higher unit count than would normally be permitted in exchange for the developer including affordable units in the project. Provincetown’s bylaw typically requires 16.7 percent of units to be affordable.
Goldman said his company almost always offers a higher percentage of affordable units than the baseline requirements. “We always try to go above and beyond because we would rather have a good solid working relationship with the community,” he said. “The one thing I’ve noticed in Provincetown is that with the town officials and government, there really seems to be a genuine public-private partnership.”
The project on Captain Bertie’s Way will not depend on local, state, or federal funding — the revenue from the 26 market-rate condos will make up for the lower profitability of the other 10.
The affordable units, featuring one bedroom and one bathroom, will be about 500 square feet, while the market-rate units, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, will be just under 1,000 square feet.
Town officials supported the proposal in letters to the Cape Cod Commission.
Town Planner Thaddeus Soulé called the inclusion of 10 affordable housing units a “remarkable contribution” for a single project on a half-acre. Soulé added that the 2024 housing needs assessment had identified a strong need for single-bedroom ownership units.
Town Manager Alex Morse also wrote in support. “By committing to deliver 28 percent of all the building’s units as affordable dwellings, this project sets a new benchmark for collaboration between private developers and the community,” Morse wrote. “I urge you to endorse this vital new housing development, which will significantly advance Provincetown’s efforts to meet its housing needs and serve as a model for sustainable, community-driven solutions.”
Five owners of residential properties on nearby George’s Path wrote to the Commission saying they welcomed development of the site with much-needed housing and that the developer had worked with neighbors to incorporate their input into the plans. Their letter did, however, voice concern over increased traffic from the 36 new condos and the nearby 65-unit Province Post affordable housing development.
“It is our desire and expectation that the developers and the town work collaboratively to design and implement a comprehensive traffic safety plan for our shared neighborhood,” they wrote.
Mac Hay, owner of Mac’s Fish House and Seafood Market on Shank Painter Road, also wrote a letter of support. “The economy of Provincetown is largely dependent on the service and hospitality industries that support seasonal and year-round residents and visitors,” Hay wrote. Affordable-ownership housing units help business owners continue to operate, he added.
Once the Cape Cod Commission completes its review, the project will proceed to the planning and zoning boards for a series of permits, including waivers from the planning board for setbacks, building height, and density under the town’s inclusionary bylaw and special permits from the zoning board for building scale and for the pool.
The Commission’s hearing will be online only and will begin at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 31. Information on participating can be found on the Commission’s website, capecodcommission.org, under “Meeting Notices.”
