The state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is regrouping the parcels it is selling in Jamaica Plain and is requiring that affordable housing be built on some of the parcels, according to a presentation MassDOT gave to the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s Housing and Development Committee on July 18.
According to Kevin Rainsford of the JPNC, about 40 to 50 people attended the meeting and that “it was clear that MassDOT is trying to be responsive to the community’s concerns.”
The parcels in question were acquired by MassDOT when the land was intended to be used for an I-95 extension project highway about 45 years ago. Due to community protest, the highway was not built, and certain parcels have remained vacant to this day, still under ownership of MassDOT.
The parcels are located at 8 Oakdale St., 105-111 Call St., B108-5 which is located off Call St., 81-85 Call St., 71-77 Call St., B114-1 which is located off Spalding Street, and B101-5 which is located off Everett Street and is the largest parcel. The sizes of the parcels vary from 3,432 square feet to 22,103 square feet.
“The biggest change is the grouping of the parcels into four bid parcels rather than the six individual parcels,” said Rainsford about how the MassDOT’s invitation to bid (IVD) has changed. “This was accomplished by combining of 81-85 Call Street, 71-77 Call Street and lot B101-5 (located on Everett Street) into one bid with the other parcels remaining roughly the same.”
Rainsford said that MassDOT will require affordable housing to be built on some of the parcels for people making 80 percent of the area median income and that that AMI percentage could change with the bidders obtaining housing subsidies.
For more information on the bid, visit mbtarealty.com/land-sales/. To comment on the proposal, email James Kersten at [email protected].