The 44,000 square foot building at 419 Boylston Street could soon be home to 44 new residential units according to a recent Boston Planning Department meeting on the project.

The conversion of the beautiful eight-story masonry-built structure would see nothing changed of its exterior. Just steps away from Public Garden, the project would bring much needed rental units to the Back Bay neighborhood.

As it stands now the first two floors of the building are reserved for retail. Pompanoosuc Mills currently occupy one side, while the other currently sits unoccupied. Under the redevelopment plan, that retail space will remain.

Floors three through eight, now vacant office space, would be converted to rental units.

The conversion would add 36 studio apartments averaging around 562 square feet and eight one-bedroom apartments spread across the seventh and eight floors averaging 839 square feet.

Only the basement and floors three and above would require construction work, says Jeff Drago, a zoning and permitting attorney representing the developer, 419 Boylston Street Realty LLC.

“Obviously COVID had a hard hit on many office buildings throughout Boston,” said Drago,” “and that is one of the reasons we’re trying to take advantage of this program and provide needed housing.”

“One of the other benefits aside from filling empty space that’s there now, updating the interior of the building, is we’re also going to be providing affordable housing opportunities,” he added.

The plan is being proposed as a part of Mayor Wu’s and the planning departments office to residential conversion program, which aims to revitalize underutilized office space in the downtown.

Projects approved as a part of the program receive a 29-year 75% residential tax abatement, as-of-right zoning, expedited article 80 review, streamlined permitting and additional city resources for collaboration where possible.

Seventeen percent of the units would be a part of the city’s Inclusionary Development Policy, and out of those eight units, four would be ADA-Compliant and one would be a hearing-impaired unit.

“Everything on the exterior would remain.

It’s in good condition,” said Drago. “The project does not propose to change anything in terms of the building’s height, footprint, or any massing, which is why it fit nicely within this program.” While there was little public comment during the meeting, neighborhood resident Susan Prindle mentioned specific concerns around parking and garbage.

The property does not have the potential to create any new parking. There would be space for bicycle storage in the basement. Drogo said that the site is near public transit and resident parking stickers would most likely be available.

Drago added that building would have a dedicated trash system in the basement of the building with totes to be wheeled outside, opposed to the outside-only dumpsters the building currently uses.

The comment period for the Small Project Review Application is open until February 12. Comments can be made at bostonplans.org.