More than 61 percent of residential units approved at BPDA October Board are income-restricted

Oct 15, 2020

The Boston Planning & Development Board of Directors this month approved development projects that will result in new market-rate and income-restricted residential units, economic development, and jobs across the City of Boston, including three, fully affordable projects in Dorchester. The development projects approved this month will create an additional 113 residential units, including 69 income-restricted units, 590 construction jobs, 315 direct jobs and 1,446 indirect and induced jobs.

The projects approved this month make progress on Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s goal of increasing affordable housing to support a strong middle class. This month, over 61 percent of new units approved by the Board are income-restricted. In September 2020, 271 new units, representing 90 percent of all new housing units permitted that month were income-restricted, the most in any month since 2014.

In addition to development projects, the Board authorized the creation and installation of a mural at the Mattapan Teen Center. The project is part of the PLAN: Mattapan Public Art Project, which builds on the agency’s PLAN: Mattapan study and delivers on the plan’s short-term implementation items identified by the community to support the creation of temporary public art in Mattapan. While the first installation will be at the Mattapan Teen Center, the BPDA expects to issue a call of artists for murals at three other locations later in the neighborhood this year followed by a public selection process.

Building on the BPDA’s ongoing commitment to supporting tenants on agency-owned property during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board authorized the agency to extend its rent deferment program for qualified commercial tenants through December. Since the initial launch of the rent deferment program in April, the BPDA has deferred or forgiven over $2 million in BPDA rent in support of tenants and small businesses on agency-owned land.

The Board approved three separate, fully affordable projects located on City-owned land in Dorchester:

• 151 Spencer Street will construct a four-story residential building with 19 residential units, all of which are income-restricted. Four units will be made available to formally homeless households.
• 25 New England Avenue will construct a four-story residential building with 23 residential units, all of which are income-restricted. Of the total units, five will be made available to formally homeless households and three will be handicap accessible.
• 270 Talbot Avenue will construct a four-story mixed-use 100 percent income-restricted building with 21 rental units and three handicap accessible units. There will also be two retail spaces in the building.

The following development projects also moved forward at tonight’s Board meeting:

Newly-approved 472 West Broadway will bring 16 residential, Compact Living Units to South Boston

Live: 16 residential units compliant with the City’s Compact Living Policy
Work: 40 construction jobs
Connect: $20,000 in community benefits, transportation infrastructure improvements

472 West Broadway will construct a five-story, mixed-use building in South Boston with 16 homeownership units, 2 of which are income-restricted and includes a 1,839 commercial retail space on West Broadway. The project is compliant with the City of Boston’s Compact Living Policy Pilot Program, which aims to increase options for housing in response to growing demand, promote sustainable development, encourage innovation and creative design solutions, and minimize potential traffic resulting from increased density.

249 Corey Road in Brighton will create 34 rental units, 4 of which are income-restricted

Live: 34 rental units, 4 of which are income-restricted
Work: 37 construction jobs
Connect: Contribution to BPDA’s ongoing Allston-Brighton Mobility Study

With a combined land area in both the City of Boston and the Town of Brookline, 249 Corey Road will redevelop the 16,685 square foot parcel in Boston into a four-story residential building containing 34 residential units, 4 of which are income-restricted. The project will also include 33 parking spaces and 33 bicycle storage spaces.

Mitigation and community benefits associated with the project include a contribution to the BPDA’s ongoing Allston-Brighton Mobility Study. The goal of the Allston-Brighton Mobility Study is to identify and develop a menu of options to improve mobility, safety for all modes, and quality of life for the Allston-Brighton neighborhoods.

With public realm and pedestrian improvements, 401 Congress Street will create a dynamic destination in the South Boston Waterfront

Work: 518,500 square feet of office and life science use workspace
Connect: 115,000 square feet of public realm improvements
Sustain: Sustainable and resilient design with LEED & WELL certification

Located in the South Boston Waterfront, the newly-approved 401 Congress Street includes the following components to transform the project site from an undeveloped area and parking lot into a dynamic, pedestrian friendly destination in Boston:

• New 17-story laboratory/research and development and office building totaling approximately 518,500 square feet with a lobby that will include spaces for cultural, retail, public access, amenity uses
• Approximately 50,000 total square feet of outdoor public realm space
• Approximately 20,000 square feet of outdoor landscaped area, and 15,000 square feet of outdoor sheltered flexible space with a new land bridge for pedestrian connection

The project will generate many benefits for the surrounding neighborhood and City of Boston as a whole, including a two-story public Great Hall with public access and use, fully accessible 24/7 elevator connection from Congress Street to World Trade Center Avenue, approximately $4.5 in Linkage payments to the City of Boston, and approximately $4 million in contributions to non-profit organizations.

The Board also approved an amendment to Boston Landing in Brighton, originally approved by the BPDA in 2012. The amendment will update the allowed uses of each project to better activate the streetscape, including the outdoor, open space and courtyard areas. Boston Landing consists of five development projects, including the New Balance World Headquarters.