News & Updates

BPDA Board approves 101 residential units, $363.3 million in development at October meeting

Oct 13, 2017

The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) Board of Directors approved four development projects representing a combined investment of $363.3 million from developers. The projects include 101 residential units, 13 which are affordable. Of the four projects, one is a Notice of Project Change (NPC).

In addition to the four projects approved, the BPDA Board also voted to approve an update to the agency’s Climate Change Preparedness and Resiliency Guidelines and Checklist. Since the guidelines were first passed in 2013, there have been significant advancements our understanding of climate change and forecasting of future climate conditions. Drawing on the work of the Boston Research Advisory Group and the recommendations of Climate Ready Boston the BPDA has updated the Climate Change guidelines to reflect the best available science and emerging industry practices.

Utilizing the updated guidelines the BPDA will work with project developers to identify how future climate conditions will affect a project’s environmental impacts, including the survivability, integrity and safety of the proposed project and its inhabitants. The guidelines will also help developers to identify and implement strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to avoid, reduce, and eliminate adverse impacts due to climate change including increased heat, more intense precipitation, and rising sea levels.

The BPDA will closely monitor project responses and best practices to advance our preparedness and ensure our City, our neighborhood, and communities continue to thrive as our climate changes.

New Development Projects

233 Hancock approval to bring 36 residential units to Dorchester; $15K in community benefits

Live: 36 residential units, five Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) units, 1,250 square feet of new urban street front, 3K square feet of usable open space in the rear
Work: 1,120 square feet of retail and gallery space
Connect: On-site bike lockers, 10 minute walk to Savin Hill Red Line stop
Project Size: 29,465 square feet

Dorchester’s 233 Hancock will result in a new five-story, mixed-use building on a site currently occupied by two auto body repair shops. The new building will include 36 residential rental units made up of 31 market-rate units and five IDP units. There will be a mix of unit-types, with 12 studio units, 12 one-bedroom units, eight two-bedroom units, and four three-bedroom units.

In addition, the proposed project includes 720 square feet of ground-floor retail space, 400 square feet of lobby gallery space, and 22 accessory off-street parking spaces located in the building’s street level garage. Storage for approximately 38 bicycles will also be available on the perimeter of the building, as well as a designated trash/recycling room located on the building’s ground floor.

The 233 Hancock approval will also provide community benefits for the Dorchester neighborhood and the City of Boston. A total of $15,000 has been committed towards the following three organizations: St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston’s Youth Connect Program, and Cape Verdean Community Unido. Each organization will receive $5,000.

South Boston’s 87-93 West Broadway to bring 65 residential condo units, retail space

Live: Eight IDP units, landscaped green roof, one block to rapid transit
Work: 30 retail jobs, new retail space on Broadway
Connect: 65 bike storage units, building wifi, LEED Silver certifiability
Project Size: 98,000 square feet

The 87-93 West Broadway project will include the construction of a 98,000 square foot building containing 65 residential condominium units. The residential units will include a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. There are also plans for 9,000 square feet of ground floor retail and lobby space, with two retail spaces planned for the ground floor along West Broadway. In addition, the new project will also house 88 below-level garage spaces and two handicapped van spaces on the first floor.

As part of the project’s approval, a commitment of $50,000 has been made to be used towards services for residents in the South Boston area. The BPDA will release an application for these community benefits grant monies upon the project’s issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. An additional commitment of $25,000 has been made to help fund the creation of a new Hubway Station within close proximity to the project site, and the Boston Transportation Department will work with the developer on mitigation measures for the impacted areas of the proposed project.

Updates to Boston University Medical Center - Dental School approved for South End

Live: 41,000 additional gross square feet, landscape and public realm improvements along Albany and East Newton streets
Work: 233 constructions jobs, improved clinical space in alignment with dental best practices
Connect: $60,000 in improvements to Albany Street, innovative and collaborative space for students
Project Size: 126,000 square feet

The Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine project includes the rehabilitation of the existing building and a new addition to the existing building. After substantial rehabilitation and new construction, the project will have a gross floor area (GFA) of approximately 126,100. The project site will continue to be used as an academic/clinical building and will consist of seven levels at a height of 94 feet. The rooftop penthouse will contain air handling equipment and machine rooms within a corrugated metal panel shell at a height of 105 feet above grade. A full basement will contain mechanical/electrical and support spaces.

The renovated and expanded building will be classified as a high-rise building. The site will include office, instructional, clinical, and student collaborative spaces. The building systems associated with clinical function will be scheduled for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Offices, classrooms, and student spaces will be available 24 hours each day, 7 days of the week. The interior renovation of the existing structure will reconfigure the layout of the patient and student/faculty entry, the clinical space, and also classroom and student spaces. The existing style of the interior will be upgraded to reflect Boston University’s modern vision as well as provide upgrades to the building’s accessibility. The exterior will also receive a full modernization, including a cladding of terracotta to cover the exterior concrete face, with a large expanse of glass added to activate the entry level. The addition will tie seamlessly to the existing structure with similar color tone brick and a glass curtain wall.

Notices of Project Change (NPCs)

Boston portion of North Point project approved

Live: $1.46M in linkage payments, 2,300 - 2,400 residential units across entire site
Work: 270,178 square feet of office and lab space
Connect: 290 bicycle parking spaces, connections to Red and Orange MBTA Lines
Project Size: 270,178 square feet in Boston (45.37 acres total)

North Point, an office, laboratory, and retail project that covers Boston, Cambridge and Somerville, will move forward with an approved NPC. Three percent of the entire site is located in Boston, while the majority (approximately 38.77 acres) is located in Cambridge, and the remainder in Somerville.

The Boston portion of the project consists of approximately 270,178 square feet of office, laboratory, and research and development space and retail space, of which not greater than 25,000 square feet may be retail space, in two buildings, referred to as Buildings G and H. Building G is an approximately 798,542 gross square-foot, fourteen story, approximately 248 foot high (including mechanical floors) commercial lab and office building, sited on the north side of Dawes Street, between Child Street and open space within the existing North Point development. Building G will include four levels of below grade structured vehicle parking. Approximately 237,122 gross square feet of Building G is located within the City of Boston. The Project Site is located within a fifteen minute walk of both the Lechmere and Community College MBTA stations. The portion of the Project Site is Parcel C11 in the Charlestown Urban Renewal Area.

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