Future LGBTQ housing / Rendering by DiMella Shaffer
Boston – As part of his commitment to create more housing that is affordable and inclusive, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced recently that the former William Barton Rogers Middle School in Hyde Park will be transformed into Boston’s first designated LGBTQ-supported housing development for seniors.
When complete, the $33 million development will preserve the beauty of the original 1899 building, while creating 74 new income-restricted rental units that will be welcoming to seniors 62 years and older, and specifically welcoming to seniors who identify as LGBTQ. All units will be deed-restricted in perpetuity, and will provide affordable, safe housing for seniors across a wide variety of incomes.
The project is being led by Pennrose Development and LGBTQ Senior Housing, Inc. who worked extensively with the local community in Hyde Park to meet the needs of residents. In addition to the 74 affordable rental units designed by Boston-based architecture and design firm, DiMella Shaffer, the new development will also include gallery space, an arts studio, community rooms, community gardens, and recreational space, which will be available to both residents and the surrounding community.
Of the 74 total income-restricted rental units in the new Barton Rogers development, eight will be rented to households of individuals who are homeless or who require rental assistance. Another eight will be deeply affordable units for seniors whose income is between approximately $25,000-$40,000 per year. In addition, 34 units will be available to households earning less than 60% AMI (about $55,000 for a two-person household). The remaining units will be rented to households earning up to 80% AMI (8 units) and 100% AMI (16 units).
“Pennrose and LGBTQ Senior Housing Inc. are both thrilled and honored to be chosen to redevelop this historic school into a new resource,” said Pennrose Holdings, LLC CEO Charlie Adams. “Our proposal will create senior housing and provide the larger community with many amenities. Hyde Park has been home to many “firsts” and we look forward to continuing to work with the community as we develop the first welcoming and friendly LGBTQ senior housing in Boston.”
“With the housing boom Boston has been witnessing, we need to ensure housing for our seniors, especially for the underserved LGBTQ community,” said Philippe Saad, associate principal at DiMella Shaffer. “Innovative partnerships like this one will serve as a model for opportunity. It paves the way towards integrating older adults in their community by providing spaces that are inclusive and multigenerational by design. This project will also further the city’s age-friendly initiative and Imagine Boston 2030 as we head into 2020.”
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“As a long term business owner and resident of Hyde Park I am excited that the Pennrose proposal was chosen for the abandoned Barton Rogers Middle School,” said Pat Tierney, Hyde Park resident and owner of Tierney Realty Group. “This development will do so much for the neighborhood; by beautifying the existing corner, creating commerce for the business district and supplying much needed senior housing for all seniors regardless of their sexual orientation or income level. I consider Pennrose to be a leader in quality senior housing. Let me be the first to welcome such an innovative, creative and Inclusive development to Hyde Park.”
“I’m proud that together with our partners, we’re creating Boston’s first designated LGBTQ-supported senior building at the former site of the Rogers Middle School in Hyde Park,” said Mayor Walsh. “As Boston’s residents continue to age, the need for safe, affordable housing that is welcoming to all remains essential. This new development will be an incredible asset to the neighborhood, offering seniors housing, along with community gardens, walking trails, and other community benefits. I look forward to our work ahead to make more of these projects a reality.”
