BOSTON
- Monday, September 14, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Mission Hill
Neighborhood Housing Services (MHNHS), Boston Children's Hospital together
announced that construction has started on the second of three phases in
the redevelopment of Parcel 25, part of the Mission Hill Community's plan
to revitalize the Roxbury Crossing gateway to the neighborhood. This once
vacant, former MBTA property will create 46 new units of transit-oriented
affordable family housing, underground parking, and a pedestrian plaza and
walkway at One Halleck Street.
"Today
we celebrate a significant milestone as we break ground on the next round
of a project that will bring 46 new housing units that are affordable to
residents to the Mission Hill neighborhood," said Mayor Walsh.
"I'm proud of the work that all partners have done to create dozens of
affordable homes for working families, older Bostonians, formerly homeless
individuals, and persons with disabilities on this once vacant land. This
eco-friendly, affordable housing development will keep this neighborhood
strong and vibrant for generations to come."
Phase
one of the project included two buildings. The Maria Sanchez House, located
on Gurney Street, was the first of the two buildings developed as part of
the community's vision to reclaim the area. It was completed in 2015 and
offers 40 units of affordable housing for seniors. One Gurney Street, the
second of the two buildings, opened in late 2017 and is a transit-oriented,
mixed-use development that offers 40 units of affordable family housing, contains
the new office headquarters for Metro Housing Boston, and four
community-oriented retail storefronts including a new Eastern Bank branch.
Phase two of the redevelopment represents the culmination of more than a
decade of planning and hard work by Mission Hill Neighborhood
Housing Services and the Mission Hill community to restore the
land formerly owned by the MBTA.
"We
are thrilled to announce the start of construction on the Parcel 25 Phase 2
Project," said Patricia Flaherty, Executive Director of MHNHS, and
longtime resident of Mission Hill. "We are grateful to all of our
partners who continue to support this community's desire for affordable
housing in Roxbury Crossing, led by Mayor Walsh, and including the City's
Department of Neighborhood Development, the Massachusetts Department of
Housing and Community Development, Boston Children's Hospital, as well as
the strong commitment to the project by equity investor MHIC and the
collaboration of Eastern Bank and Boston Private Bank & Trust, who will
be providing construction and permanent financing. We are amazed that
despite the difficult times we are in, everyone came together and did what
was necessary to move this project into construction."
Parcel
25 Phase 2 involves new construction of 46 affordable rental units located
across the street from the Roxbury Crossing MBTA station. When completed,
the building will provide family housing to the neighborhood, including 15
one-bedroom units, 18 two-bedroom units (including 6 duplex units with
private entrances and stoops along Halleck Street), and 13 three-bedroom
units. Five of the two and three-bedroom units will be set aside for
formerly homeless families at 30% of AMI (Area Median Income). An
additional three one-bedroom fully-accessible units will be set aside for
families with significant disabilities under the Community Based Housing
program at 30% of AMI or below. Three 1-bedroom units will be affordable to
individuals and or families at or below 30% of AMI. One 2-bedroom unit will
be made affordable to families at between 31% and 50% of AMI. The
remaining 34 units will be available for families making at or below 60% of
AMI. All 46 units will be made affordable in perpetuity.
"I
am so excited that One Halleck Street has closed and is in
construction!", added Mission Hill NHS Board Member Cindy Walling.
"As a Mission Hill homeowner, I am pleased to see the development of
more affordable housing in our neighborhood. As a professional in the
affordable housing industry working with families, I know first hand the
need for housing that is close to the City's core. This location provides
tremendous access to public transportation as well as bike paths. The
importance of easy access to employment opportunities for the residents of
this development cannot be overstated."
When
completed the building will be LEED Silver certifiable and will include
many green features for long-term operations and sustainability, as well as
several public space improvements such as new sidewalks, handicap
accessible ramps, benches, lighting, bike racks, and an extended pedestrian
plaza and walkway that allows residents and visitors to move through the site
to their points of destination. Designed by Goody Clancy Architects, the
building will be constructed by NEI General Contracting and managed by
Maloney Properties.
"Boston
Children's Hospital was proud to play a role in financing Phase 1 of
Mission Hill NHS's Roxbury Crossing project. We are very pleased to also be
contributing to the financing for Phase 2 this year," said Sandra L.
Fenwick, Chief Executive Officer, Boston Children's Hospital. "We know
that homeless children and those living in unstable housing tend to have
worse health, more behavioral health problems, and lower school
performance. During the COVID-19 crisis, it's even more essential that
children have stable housing. We applaud Mission Hill NHS for making this
much-needed housing available to children and families who will soon call
Roxbury Crossing home."
The
Parcel 25 Phase 2 development has been made possible in part by more than
$2.55 million in funding from the City of Boston, including $1.3 million
from City HOME and $1.25 million from the Neighborhood Housing Trust from
Boston's Children's Hospital Housing Creation Linkage commitment. The
development also received $1.7 million in State and Federal Low Income
Housing tax credits from the Commonwealth's Department of Housing and
Community Development (DHCD), $550,000 from DHCD HOME, $750,000 from DHCD
HSF, $660,667 from DHCD CATNP, $722,850 from DHCD Community Based Housing,
and $1 million from Mass Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
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