510 Hotel Rooms Approved on South Boston Waterfront

The BRA Board unanimously approved two new hotels and a parking garage for the South Boston Waterfront. These new developments, totaling $190 million, will play a key role in supporting the continued growth of the adjacent Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

The project being developed by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority is located at 371-401 D Street. The two hotels, The Element and Aloft, will be complementary mid-priced hotels, with 510 total rooms.

Aloft will be a select service hotel with 330 rooms oriented to business travelers with short stays. The hotel will include amenities like a business center and media pods, as well as ground floor retail. The Element will have 180 rooms and will be “extended stay” for guests planning a three to five day visit to Boston with rooms that include a small kitchen.

An adjacent parking garage will contain spaces for approximately 1,350 vehicles and will replace an existing surface parking lot and will include ground floor retail.

New Housing Approved in Allston 

The BRA Board unanimously approved The Icon, a 104-unit apartment complex located at 75 Brainerd Road in Allston. The project will replace a low rise industrial building and an auto body shop, improving the streetscape and pedestrian experience in the area.

The $17 million project being developed by the Mount Vernon Company totals 93,260 square feet and includes 108 parking spaces. The developer is providing $100,000 in community benefits, as well as new streetlights, sidewalks, landscaped areas, trees, and improvements to pedestrian connections between Brainerd Road and Commonwealth Avenue.

The project is anticipated to break ground in 2013, creating 260 construction jobs, and has a 16 month completion schedule.

The Icon is part of a “green district” the Mount Vernon Company is creating in Allston. Other abutting projects include the recently completed Element Building located at 9-23 Griggs Street, and The Edge at 60-66 Brainerd Road, which will break ground this year.

Condominiums Approved for South Boston

A four-story building at 309 E Street featuring 18 condominium units was unanimously approved by the BRA Board.  Two affordable units will be included – one unit for households earning at or below 80% the area median income (AMI) and the other for households earning at or below 100% of the AMI.  In addition, the developer will contribute $68,000 to the Inclusionary Development Fund to further create affordable housing.  The project is expected to break ground in June 2013.  The development team includes Michael McGough, developer, Dan Rull, legal counsel, and William Christopher, architect.

Funding Energy Efficiency Repairs for Affordable Housing

With the unanimous support of the BRA Board, $250,000 has been allotted to make the City’s affordable rental properties more energy efficient.  Awarded to the Energy Retrofit/Renew Boston Fund, the source of the funds is the Inclusionary Development Program Energy Fund.  The qualifying properties are those owned by non-profits or properties where the tenants are responsible for their heat and electricity.  In addition, the qualifying properties have demonstrated a serious need for energy improvement and have tenants earning less than 80% of area median income (AMI).  The Energy Retrofit/Renew Boston Fund brings energy efficiency programs to Boston’s affordable housing.  The BRA, the Mayor’s Office of Energy Policy, the Department of Neighborhood Development, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and Action for Boston Community Development, work together to coordinate and fund the Energy Retrofit/Renew Boston Fund.

New Development Guidelines on South Huntington Avenue

The BRA Board unanimously approved new guidelines that will inform future development on South Huntington Avenue in Jamaica Plain.

The South Huntington Framework for Future Development establishes a comprehensive vision for the area primarily addressing the use mix, open space and connections, transportation impacts, the development footprint, floor area ratio, and building heights. The Framework breaks the corridor into three distinct areas with recommendations tailored to each of these locations. It also recommends action items and specific time frames to improve the public realm, address transportation needs, and manage future growth.

The Framework is not an amendment to existing zoning, but will be used as reference during the Article 80 process and for basis during zoning variance consideration.  In addition the Framework provides guidance for exceptional public benefits for cases in which a project exceeds underlying zoning and is at the upper threshold of the recommended guidelines.

Boston Properties and Delaware North filed a Letter of Intent detailing a proposal for a new 1.7 million square foot mixed-use development on an approximately 2.8 acre parcel on Causeway Street adjacent to TD Garden.

The project includes:

• Up to 300,000 square feet of multi-story retail
• 500 residential units (600,000 square feet)
• 200 hotel rooms (200,000 square feet)
• 600,000 square feet of commercial office space
• 800 parking spaces in below grade garage

This week an industrial park in Hyde Park celebrated the installation of Boston’s largest rooftop solar array. The 120,000 square foot array located at Boston Dedham Commerce Park has a 978 kilowatt system size and represents one-tenth of the total rooftop solar panels in the city. The new installation puts Boston over the 10.6 megawatt solar energy mark.

Boston Dedham Commerce Park is owned by First Highland Management Company. First Highland worked closely with the BRA’s Back Streets program led by Sal Di Stefano and Brad Swing, Director of Mayor Menino’s Renew Boston program, to bring this $1 million investment to fruition.

Boston Dedham Commerce Park is home to Dancing Deer Bakery, Sky Zone Sports, and Custom Metal Craft, to name a few.

Have a say in your community, attend a public meeting!

Harvard Allston Task Force Meeting

The meeting will continue the discussion regarding planning for and interim improvements to Rena Park.  The meeting will include a walk around the park weather permitting.

Harvard Allston – Rena Park

Third Amendment to PDA No. 46 – Brighton Landing Community Meeting

The developer proposes to modify the PDA Plan to allow the existing fifth level of the Brighton Landing parking structure to be enclosed and a sixth level to be added to accommodate 250 parking spaces. These additional spaces will be used to offset the approximately 250 spaces which will be removed from certain areas of the approved development, Brighton Landing.

375-399 Chestnut Hill Avenue Community Meeting

The developer, Boston Development Group, proposes to redevelop an approximately 2.56-acre site at 375-399 Chestnut Hill Avenue adjacent to Cleveland Circle. The existing buildings on the site will be razed and replaced with a mixed-use development that includes approximately 234,550 SF of hotel, medical office, residential and retail space. The project will also include at grade and underground parking spaces on-site.

Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Planning (MHP) Advisory Committee Meeting

The monthly meeting of the Downtown Waterfront MHP Advisory Committee.  All Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public.

Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative (FIPI) Working Advisory Group (WAG) Meeting

Thumbnail image of The Boston Harbor Association’s new planters on the Northern Avenue Bridge courtesy of Nicole Fichera.

Since January 2012, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives, and the Mayor’s Urban Agriculture Rezoning Working Group have been meeting monthly to draft new zoning to open up new urban agriculture opportunities in Boston. Article 89 of the zoning code will create clarity and predictability for anyone interested in commercial food growing and creating farms in Boston. A draft of the new zoning article is now finalized and available online.

Why Urban Agriculture is good for Boston:

• Community based farms can bring people together, increasing cooperation, collaboration and neighborhood building.
• Urban agriculture improves access to affordable, fresh, healthy food.
• Urban farming provides an opportunity for Bostonians to learn how to grow food, and empowers entrepreneurs to operate a farm right in the City.
• Local farming can be an effective tool for empowering youth, by teaching young people how to grow food and run a business.
• Urban farming teaches us about using land wisely, which helps us grow our neighborhoods and communities in a positive and healthy way.
• Farming in the city is good for the environment because it can reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions on the buyer and grower’s end.
• Urban farming is a great way to get Bostonians excited about sustainability and “greenovation,” so that we can make this a cleaner, healthier city.

Why we are creating Article 89:

• The existing Boston zoning code does not address many types of agricultural activities.  If an activity is not identified, it is considered a forbidden use and requires an appeal process through the City’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).

Urban Agriculture Kick Off, January 2012 Flier

Notes from Urban Agriculture Working Group Meetings

Have a say in your community, attend a public meeting!

Residences at 399 Congress Meeting Community Meeting 

The proponent, Madison Seaport Holdings, LLC, has proposed a 22-story building featuring:

• 414 residential units
• 12,000 SF of ground-floor lobby, retail, and innovation space
• “Innovation Extended Stay and Collaboration Center” with 60 small, highly-efficient “innovation units” with shared gathering areas, work zones, conference areas, and business amenities
• 12,600 SF of shared-use amenity space with a fitness room, media room, and a game and lounge area.
• A mix of studio, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units
• 144 parking spaces

Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative (FIPI) Corridor-Wide Advisory Group (CAG) Meeting

Monthly meeting of the Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative’s Corridor-Wide Advisory Group.  All meetings are open to the public.

BRA/EDIC Board Meeting

Monthly meeting of the BRA Board.  Agenda will be posted on Monday, May 13.

Sullivan Square Disposition Study

The purpose of the Sullivan Square Disposition Study is to build upon the Boston Transportation Department’s roadway plan for Sullivan Square. As part of the study, there will be a community-based visioning exercise to determine appropriate uses, and the character of new development and open space in Sullivan Square. The ultimate goal of the Sullivan Square Disposition Study is to enhance the area through the creation of a disposition plan for publicly-owned development parcels that will be created by the new roadway alignment in Sullivan Square. The study will focus on parcel level planning, design guidelines, and a market analysis to achieve a success disposition of the new parcels, that is consistent with community goals and vision for the future of Sullivan Square. All interested parties are invited to attend this public meeting.

ONEin3 Downtown Waterfront Planning Initiative Visioning Workshop

See invitation here.