Arlington Redevelopment Board Approves Mass Ave Facade Permit, Brewery Phasing Plan

ARLINGTON — February 9, 2026 — Arlington Redevelopment Board approves Mass Ave facade renovation and brewery phasing plan on split votes. The board voted 4-1 to grant a special permit for a facade renovation at 1341–1347 Massachusetts Avenue in the B3 Village Business District, with conditions requiring flat-panel sign banding, compliant bike parking, dark-sky lighting, and removal of a restaurant exhaust vent; board member Rachel Zenberry cast the lone no vote over the proposed brick-red color scheme. In a separate 4-1 vote, the board approved a two-phase construction plan for ABC Beer's planned brewery and approximately 2,500-square-foot restaurant at 15 Rider Street, allowing the applicant to open phase one and return only if plans change before phase two; member Eugene Benson voted no, saying the board should require the applicant to return before phase two regardless of changes. Neighbors from Rider Street and Beck Road pressed the board on pedestrian safety and private-way liability during public comment, with one resident challenging the accuracy of a March 2025 senior transportation planner's memo. The meeting was Benson's last after nine years of service; the board also unanimously reappointed 10 members of the Arlington Heights Neighborhood Action Planning Committee to two-year terms.