Boston – The Boston Planning & Development Agency’s (BPDA) board of directors recently approved eight development projects. In total the projects represent 350 residential units, 247 of which are affordable, and are valued at $1.03 billion.
Of the eight development projects approved, four were new projects and four were Notices of Project Change (NPC). Below are summaries of the approvals.
NPC projects
Parcel K, a mixed-use development anchored by residential units, a boutique hotel, and office space on the South Boston Waterfront.
South Station Air Rights, an office and residential development above South Station.
30 Polk Street, a residential development in Charlestown.
422 River Street, a residential development in Mattapan.
New projects
- 162 affordable units for seniors in Chinatown to be rehabilitated including: (1) heating and domestic hot water boiler replacement, (2) emergency generator overhaul, (3) the renovation of kitchen and bathroom areas in the residential units, (4) building accessibility upgrades/improvements, (5) security system enhancements, and (6) common area equipment replacement and upgrades. Total project cost is $71 million. The project includes a total of 124,720sf and will create 307 construction jobs.
- 3353 Washington Street to bring 45 rental units to Jamaica Plain at a total project cost of $18 million. The project includes a total of 45,286sf including a residential five stories high, with over 2,000sf for retail use on the ground floor, and will create 34 construction jobs.
- 280-290 Warren Street approval to bring 95 affordable units to Roxbury at a total cost of $47 million. Phase I will include the construction of a four story building consisting of 51 units of housing, 7,284sf of commercial office space, and 74 parking spaces in a two-level garage located at Warren and Clifford Streets. Phase II will include the construction of a five story building with 44 units of elderly housing, 4,050sf for coffee shop and restaurant space, and 28 parking spaces in a single-level garage at Warren and Waverly Streets. The project includes a total of 153,365sf and will create 109 construction jobs.
- Parcel Q1 received approval to be considered a Development Impact Project (DIP) at total cost of $110 million. The project includes will include the construction of an approximately 298,700sf, 13-story commercial building with 8,400sf of ground floor retail, 211,700sf of office space, and three levels of parking to accommodate approximately 150 vehicles, and will create 183 construction jobs.
more-
Located in Chinatown, Quincy Tower is a 16 story affordable housing complex that contains 162 age-restricted units. The approved project will substantially rehabilitate Quincy Tower’s interior and mechanical systems, . The building footprint, number of units, and parking spaces will remain the same. Ten percent of the units (17 units) will be rented to households with incomes at or below 30 percent of area median income (AMI) and the remaining 144 units will be rented to households at or below 60% of AMI, all in perpetuity.
3353 Washington Street will include approximately 45 rental units, 24 parking spaces, and significant landscaping and streetscaping improvements. 3353 Washington Street is a transit-oriented development (TOD) that is an approximately four-minute walk from the closest MBTA station. Also included is ground floor bicycle storage room with space for approximately 20 to 30 bicycles for residents of the building, and tenant lobbies on both Green Street and Washington Street. Eight of the units will be affordable units, six at 50% AMI, and two at 70% AMI. This development is consistent with the direction of the ongoing planning study with the community, PLAN: JP/Rox.
Located at 280-290 Warren Street, 100% of the units in this two-phased project will be income-restricted and geared towards family and elderly (95). The project will also include 11,334sf of commercial office space, a coffee shop, a restaurant, and 102 parking spaces in a two-level garage.
The Parcel Q1 project . The project also proposes an approximately 12,900sf urban plaza to increase publicly accessible open space within the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park. The urban plaza will be carefully landscaped and may include container kiosks that would provide additional ground level retail or food service. The building entrance will be oriented towards the urban plaza to encourage a vibrant pedestrian environment at the base of the building and to complement the mixed-use development proposed for the adjacent Parcel A.
This project will also yield a number of public benefits, including improvements to Drydock Avenue and Summer Street as they border the project site and a donation of $50,000 towards the proposed Martin Richard Park. As a DIP, the project (by way of the developer) will contribute $1,004,761.50 to the Neighborhood Housing Trust and $201,193.25 to the Neighborhood Jobs Trust.
The Board also voted to adopt the PLAN: South Boston Dorchester Avenue guidelines, that will guide the BPDA and the community on future development and public realm improvements within the South Boston Dorchester Avenue Study Area. Mayor Martin J. Walsh called for the plan in 2015 because of the need to shape growth as a community and create a holistic vision for the area. The plan establishes goals and strategies that will help drive short- and long-term public-private investments in the community, including a new network of streets, public parks and green space, a range of housing types, and more commercial, 21st century industrial and retail activity for South Boston. This plan will also serve as the foundation for working with the community to update zoning in the area so that it aligns with the community’s vision and creates predictable conditions for future development.
