PLANNING DEPARTMENT ADVANCES FIRST HOTEL PROJECT UNDER NET ZERO CARBON ZONING Affordable housing in Brighton, Jamaica Plain, and Mattapan moves forward

BOSTON - January 15, 2026 - The Planning Department this month recommended approval of the City’s first hotel project to be permitted under the new Net Zero Carbon Zoning. In total, staff recommended approval of five new development projects representing approximately 457,987 square feet (SF). All were approved. The newly approved development proposals will create 119 new homes, including 56 units that are designated income-restricted, and will support approximately 447 construction jobs and 298 permanent jobs. The projects advanced today will help make Boston a more resilient, affordable, and equitable city. Development Projects Project at 393 Cambridge Street will build Boston’s first hotel under Net Zero Carbon Zoning Housing: 96 hotel rooms Jobs: Approximately 30 permanent jobs, approximately 43 construction jobs Community: Public realm improvements Sustainability: Net Zero Carbon, LEED Gold Located in Allston, this new seven-story hotel with 96 rooms will be the first hotel project in the city to be permitted under the new Net Zero Carbon Zoning. The building will include indoor and outdoor bike parking. As part of its mitigation commitment, the project will improve the public realm with new landscaping, sidewalks, street trees, a new raised crosswalk, and pedestrian connections. The project complies with the Allston-Brighton Mobility Plan by creating additional sidewalk dimensions on Cambridge Street, improving overall mobility for all users. As part of the community benefits, this project will contribute $30,000 towards the maintenance of nearby Ringer Park and Playground. Rogerson-Beaufort Project Phase 1 moves forward with new income-restricted senior housing Housing: 41 income-restricted senior housing units, renovation and replacement of 66 beds for memory-care patients Jobs: Approximately 142 construction jobs, approximately 161 permanent jobs Community: Supportive services for residents, public realm improvements focused on pedestrians and bicyclists Sustainability: LEED Gold, all-electric, roof top solar PV, Passive house, EV parking This project will redevelop what is currently the Rogerson House property in Jamaica Plain into 41 new income-restricted senior housing units, while also renovating and replacing the current 66-bed memory care facility that currently exists. The project will improve the public realm with new sidewalks, landscaping, and safer pedestrian access. A second phase of this project will be reviewed separately in the future. New housing moves forward at 1954 Commonwealth Avenue in Brighton Housing: 26 homeownership units, four income-restricted units Jobs: Approximately 24 construction jobs Community: Public realm improvements Sustainability: Preservation of existing historic structures on site This project will convert what is currently a vacant three-family home in Brighton into a five-story mixed-use building including 26 homeownership units, four of which will be income-restricted. These will be a mix of studios, one-, and two-bedroom units. The Allston-Brighton Needs Assessment adopted by the BPDA Board in January 2024 showed that the average rent for a two-bedroom unit increased over the course of the Assessment study period, underscoring the urgent need for more two-bedroom options in the neighborhood. This project will also improve the public realm with better sidewalks and a new street tree. 841 Morton Street project to create new housing, pedestrian connection in Mattapan Housing: 52 units, 11 income-restricted units Jobs: Retail space, approximately 72 construction jobs, approximately five permanent jobs Community: $20,000 in community benefits, public realm improvements Sustainability: LEED Gold, Net Zero Carbon, efficient all-electric, Passive House Located in Mattapan, this project will convert what is currently a gas station and parking lot into a new five-story building with 52 homes, 11 of which will be income-restricted. The units will be a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedrooms. The building will include ground floor retail space, as well as indoor and outdoor bike parking. The use and design of this building aligns well with the current, active corridor of Morton Street, which is in a Squares + Streets zoning district as part of PLAN: Mattapan. This project will significantly improve the public realm with new landscaping, better sidewalks, and a new pedestrian connection between Morton and Flint Streets. The new pedestrian path directly aligns with PLAN: Mattapan, as it will further develop the Mattapan Green Links network as advocated in the plan. The Green Link will be open at all times for public use and will include new lighting, landscaping, and public art. This project will also contribute $49,000 to the Boston Transportation Department in support of the bikeshare system. Project at 371-401 D Street will build new hotel outside convention center Housing: 438 hotel rooms, $1.8 million in Linkage funding toward affordable housing Jobs: Approximately 163 construction jobs, approximately 102 permanent jobs, $338,800 in Linkage funding toward job training Community: Free community meeting space for neighborhood non-profit organizations each quarter Sustainability: LEED Gold, efficient all-electric, indoor bike parking This project will add a new 438 room, 14-story hotel across the street from the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in South Boston, to a site which currently includes the Element and Aloft hotels. It will also modify the existing layout of the Element Hotel to add more rooms. The new hotel will provide community gathering space for a nonprofit organization every quarter. It will also include a bike room for employees. The project will improve the public realm with new sidewalks, landscaping, and street trees, expanding the tree canopy to combat urban heat island effect. This project will contribute $75,000 to the Boston Transportation Department in support of the city's bikeshare system. The addition of a new hotel to this area will improve the City’s ability to host more large-scale conventions, which will stimulate economic activity in the neighborhood. In addition to these projects, the Board approved: An update to a previously approved project at 445-449 Cambridge Street to change the housing development from two buildings to one building. An update to a previously approved project at 38 Hichborn Street to add two units, relocate the building’s commercial space, and reduce the number of parking spaces. An update to a previously approved project at 639 Warren Street to change the program of units from a mix of rental and homeownership to all rental. An update to a previously approved project at 1208C VFW Parkway for a change of ownership and to make all units income-restricted. The disbursement of $275,000 from the 1350 Boylston Street project Community Benefits Fund to 15 community organizations.