The Boston Redevelopment Authority has approved five major
proposals throughout South Boston, East Boston, Brighton,
Dorchester, and Charlestown. The Board of Directors approved a
total of $131 million for these new developments which will include
approximately 140 housing units.
According to the BRA, several of the proposals on the agenda
involve adaptive reuses of existing buildings including the former
Gate of Heaven School in South Boston, the Boston Teachers Union in
Dorchester, and a historic building in the Charlestown Navy
Yard.
The Former Gate of Heaven School in South Boston will be
redeveloped into 26 condominium units, with a mix of one-, two, and
three-bedroom residences when complete. There will also be 40
on-site parking spaces. The developer hopes to begin renovations of
the existing facade in the fall being sure to preserve the
historical details of the building. With a total of 33,238 square
feet and project cost of $7,350,000 the developer has set a goal of
completion for within a year.
In Brighton a project anticipated to begin in the third quarter
of this year will transform an underutilized five-story office
building into 80 new apartments totaling a project cost of $9
million. Located at 1505 Commonwealth Avenue this project
encompasses 67,000 square feet and is expected to offer a mix of
studios, one-and two-bedroom units, one-bedroom lofts. There will
be 80 on-site parking spaces for residents as well as a landscaped
plaza that opens onto Commonwealth Ave.
Just a short distance from the East Boston Greenway and Maverick
Square MBTA Station in Jeffries Point what was once the site of a
gas station will be redeveloped into 33 units of housing. Located
at 320 Maverick Street in East Boston, the project with a total
cost of $7 million and 36,275 square feet will contain a mix of
one-and two-bedroom units along with 32 on-site parking spaces.
In Dorchesters Columbia Point, the Boston Teachers Union will
replace its existing headquarters with a brand new building and
parking structure as part of a two-phase project. With a total cost
of $23 million for the total project the two phases will encompass
52,469 square feet. The first phase will include demolition of the
existing building, and construction of a new three-story building
supported by 135 surface parking spaces. The second phase will
include a 300-space, two-story parking facility.
In Charlestowns Navy Yard, the Chain Forge Building (also known
as Building 105), will be redeveloped into a 230-key limited
service and extended stay hotel with 6,000 square feet of
restaurant space. The project will cost $85 million in total and
will encompass 180,000 square feet. The developer plans to
construct within the existing footprint of the vacant building
constructing several interior floors as well as an additional floor
on one side of the property. With the help of a valet parking
service, the hotel will manage roughly 200 off-site parking spaces
for guests.
In total these projects will create approximately 140 new units
of housing and a total of 500 construction jobs throughout South
Boston, Brighton, East Boston, Dorchester, and Charlestown.
Source: Boston Redevelopment
Authority