BRA Approves Six New Projects

Boston – The Boston Redevelopment Authority’s (BRA’s) board of directors ended the year by approving six new development projects representing an estimated investment of over $244 million in Boston’s economy.

The projects are anticipated to create over 380,000sf of new development and 377 construction jobs. This year, the BRA has approved 7.1 million sf of new construction.

Harvard set to build new auditorium on business school campus

The BRA board approved the construction of a two-phase development known as Klarman Hall and G2 Pavilion, which will replace the existing Burden Hall on the Harvard Business School campus. Klarman Hall is a modern, media-equipped 1,000-seat auditorium with reception, meeting, and service space to accommodate the school’s signature events. An underground connection to Spangler Center, one of the main buildings on campus, will also be constructed during this phase.

Burden Hall will be replaced with a one- to two-story facility that contains meeting and classroom space.

The BRA board also approved the disbursement of $100,000 in funding from the Harvard Allston Partnership Fund, which is maintained by the BRA from contributions made by Harvard University. Twelve community organizations that serve North Allston and North Brighton will receive grants to support educational, cultural enrichment, and neighborhood improvement programs.

The 105,100sf project cost is $171.1million.

New housing coming to Taft Hill Terrace in Roslindale

Parkhead Development, LLC received approval on plans to construct 19 condominium units off of Taft Hill Terrace in Roslindale. The project, designed by Embarc Studio, will contain two one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units, and two three-bedroom units spread between two new buildings. Two of the units will be deed restricted as affordable housing, and the developer will make a $96,000 contribution to the City’s Inclusionary Development Fund to fulfill their obligations under the current policy.

The 15,353sf project cost is $4 million.

Dorchester’s Epiphany School will grow to provide better services for students and families

Dorchester’s Epiphany School on Centre Street serves economically disadvantaged children and families. The tuition-free middle school will soon begin work on an 87,979sf, $8.8 million project to expand its facilities.

The school has acquired property along Centre Street that will become the new location for administrative functions and graduate support services. StudioMLA has designed plans for administrative offices, a greenhouse and outdoor gardening area for students, three dwelling units for teaching fellows, and early learning classroom space to primarily serve younger siblings of the Epiphany School’s students.

Two community developers win approval for large affordable housing project on Heath Street in Jamaica Plain

A partnership between the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation and Back of the Hill Community Development Corporation will develop General Heath Square Apartments in Jamaica Plain. The 47-unit, $17.4 million, 56,290sf project will be entirely affordable with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, community and office space, and covered bicycle and car parking spaces.

The affordable apartments will be available to households at various income levels.

Several apartments within General Heath Square will be permanently reserved for formerly homeless individuals and families as well as clients of the Massachusetts Department of Development Services.

Former industrial building in East Boston to be renovated for loft-style hotel

A five-story industrial building dating back to 1912 in East Boston’s Jeffries Point neighborhood will be overhauled for a hotel with 127 guestrooms. The façade of the existing building at 175 Orleans Street will be restored, and a 6,000sf addition will be built atop to house hotel common areas and mechanical space. With guestrooms featuring loft-style 12-foot-high ceilings, large windows, and exposed concrete, the project has fittingly been dubbed Loftel.

A new restaurant will be constructed on the ground floor of the project.

Total cost of the 75,000sf project is $20 million.

Historic building on Boylston Street to be restored for dozens of affordable housing units

Two Boston nonprofits, St. Francis House and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, will undertake an ambitious rehabilitation project to restore the historic Boston Young Men’s Christian Union building at 48 Boylston Street in Chinatown for affordable housing. Once restored, the currently vacant building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated Boston Landmark, will contain 46 units of affordable housing, nearly 11,000sf of office space for St. Francis House, and 3,800sf of commercial space.

The development team will work to secure operating subsidies through the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program or Section 8 Program. Six units will be targeted to low-income households earning 30% of area median income or less, and the remaining units will serve households at or below 60% of area median income.

Total cost of the 40,535 project is $22.9 million.