Two nonprofit developers specializing in affordable housing—the Back of the Hill Community Development Corporation (BOTH CDC) and the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC)—presented a draft plan to develop about 40 housing units in a four-story building on City-owned parcels on Heath Street.
The two organizations—which previously co-developed the Back of the Hill housing— hosted the second of two community meetings this month for input on the affordable housing development.
The developers are also proposing including common space for the residents and some commercial—not retail—space.
Of the about 40 proposed rental units, 11 would be 3-bedrooms, 18 would be two-bedrooms and 11 would be one-bedrooms.
A request for proposals (RFP) was issued by the City Oct. 6, with a preference for “affordable rental housing or mixed use development” clearly expressed. The applications were due Dec. 22. Eligible contractors will present their plans to the community in January before the City makes a final choice.
The City’s Department of Neighborhood Development has held three community meetings and a site tour about the contiguous parcels at 9-21 Bromley St., 894-908 Parker St., 58-62 New Heath St. and the parcel at Ward 10, number 02457000.
The 10 DND 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.
The site’s corner at Parker and Heath streets are close to smaller residential buildings, while the corner at New Heath and Bromley streets are close to the Pickle Factory condos and other taller buildings. Community members previously stated that the future development should take that into consideration, possibly stepping a future building down from a taller end to a shorter, residential-scale end.
For more information about the JPNDC/BOTH process, contact the JPNDC at 617-522-2424 ext. 279 or see jpndc.org.