Apartments could replace tool company on B Street in South Boston

A South Boston developer has proposed replacing the Hinds & Coon tool company at 118 B St., off West 3rd Street, with a five-story, 37-unit apartment building.

In a filing with the BPDA last week, developer Charles McCarthy is proposing 26 parking spaces in an at-grade garage. Six of the apartments would be rented as affordable.

McCarthy hopes to begin roughly 15 months of construction on the $20-million project by mid-2024. In addition to the BPDA, he will also need variances from the Zoning Board of Appeal.

His filing explains the building's design:

The corner lot at 118 B Street is located across East Third Street from a popular playground, Flaherty Park. Breaking down the massing of the building was critical to its relationship with not only the park but also with the surrounding buildings. By creating a collection of smaller building elements with softer edges - instead of a single mass with harder edges - the residential building would be more appealing visually and cast shorter and irregular shadows.

118 B Street filings and meeting schedule.