Lowell Historic Board Approves Four-Story Herd Street Building, Fines Boost Mobile

LOWELL — December 8, 2025 — Lowell's Historic Board approved a four-story residential building on a downtown infill lot and levied fines against a Boost Mobile store that ignored multiple compliance requests. The board voted to issue a historic preservation permit for 22 Herd Street, a roughly 40-foot building with studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedrooms designed by Matt Langis of Scott Brown Architects; the applicant had removed one floor from an earlier five-story concept after October feedback. UTEC CEO Greg Croto spoke in opposition, arguing the massing would obscure historic rear elevations of the organization's 1839 church building and disrupt a long-standing open rear-court pattern, but the board found the revised design consistent with its standards, sections 3.1 and 3.2, with one abstention. On enforcement, the board confirmed three signage violations at Boost Mobile, 376 Merrimack Street — rotating illuminated TV screens left in place despite in-person requests, a written notice, and a certified-mail order to appear — and set fines at $25 per violation per day, or $75 per day total, well below the statutory cap of $100 per violation; staff said it was the first such signage enforcement hearing in recent memory.