Heath St. project heads to local council review

The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) plans to present its $16.4 million affordable rental development proposal to the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s Housing and Development Committee on Sept. 15 and the Zoning Committee in October, according to spokesperson Sally Swenson.

The proposed development would be built on City-owned land formed by the triangle of Heath, New Heath and Bromley streets.

The JPNDC, a community development corporation, is partnering with Back of the Hill Community Development Corporation for the project. The plan has changed from an earlier proposal with seven units being added. The proposal now calls for 47 affordable units in a four-story, 56,000-square-foot building. JPNDC has named the development General Heath Square Apartments.

JPNDC has previously said that funding for the development would come from four different sources: tax credits, city subsidy, state subsidy and a permanent loan. If funding is approved and the project is given the green light through the permitting process, it is slated to begin construction in 2017 and finish two years later.

BOTH CDC and JPNDC previously co-developed the Back of the Hill housing. The team entered the sole bid for the City-owned land after the Department of Neighborhood Development held three community meetings and a site tour to discuss development options.

The parcels in question total almost 29,000 square feet. The City acquired them through tax foreclosures and is planning their development as the last stage of the 15-year-old Heath Street Planning Initiative.

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