Citing construction market conditions, developers of Goddard House proposal reduce project

The development team behind the Goddard House proposal is reducing the project by 18 units, citing “significant financial challenges posed by the current construction market,” according to documents filed with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA).

BPDA is slated to host an impact advisory group (IAG) meeting on March 13 for the changes. An IAG is a City-appointed group of residents and other stakeholders that advise the City on potential impacts of building projects. There were previously 12 members of the Goddard House IAG: Michael Reiskind, Vanessa Snow, Merlin Southwick, Stephen Lussier, Kevin Moloney, Kyle Smith, John Iappini, Julie Corckford, Lisa Marie Cooper, Kay Gallagher, Alison Frazee, and Richard Rouse. It is unclear if the IAG still has the originally members.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority, which has since rebranded to the BPDA, approved the originally project last year. The developers, Eden Properties and Samuels & Associates, previously planned for a $62 million renovation and expansion of the former Goddard House nursing home property, transforming it into a multi-family residence to include 167 rental apartments with 22 affordable-housing units.

The revised proposal leaves the renovation of the Goddard House intact at 110 units, but reduces the new building to 39 units from 57 units. The project will now have 19 affordable-housing units. The number of parking and bicycle spaces are both cut by 18, falling to 65 and 149, respectively.

“In order to overcome significant financial challenges posed by the current construction market, the proponent proposes a few adjustments to the new building portion of the BRA-approved development program,” the documents filed with the BPDA state. “The main priority of the project continues to be the adaptive re-use of the Goddard House building, and that portion of the project remains unchanged. The proposed complex structural support system necessary to adaptively re-use the Goddard House building makes it difficult to make any changes that would improve the financial feasibility of the program.”

The Goddard House controversially ceased operations in 2012 and has remained vacant since. The enormous brick building was constructed in 1927 and housed about 100 seniors.

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