Taurus had reportedly stated that erecting the Home Depot wouldn't significantly alter the use of the site that had formerly been home to the Assembly Square Mall. The petition to the Zoning Board is one of two attempts on the part of Taurus to erect Home Depot here--a move that has met with significant local opposition. The company already received a permit from the city's Planning Board, but that permit is facing a lawsuit by a local resident. The Zoning Board's approval would have enabled Taurus to avoid a court fight.

Approval from the Zoning Board would have also meant Taurus could only erect the Home Depot and not the rest of the mixed-use project it had originally proposed building when it was seeking a permit from the Planning Board. Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay has been a strong proponent of developing a mixed-use project at the site.

If Taurus wants to build the Home Depot it would now need special permits obtained through a public review process. The company can also appeal the decision within 20 days.