The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) held an impact advisory group (IAG) meeting for the Goddard House project on Jan. 7 with some members advocating for more affordable-housing units, according to BRA spokesperson Nick Martin.
An IAG is a City-appointed group of residents and other stakeholders that advise the City on potential impacts of building projects.
“Some representatives on the IAG have advocated for an increase in the number of affordable housing units, and we’re currently discussing the appropriate course of action,” said Martin in an email. “In order to increase the number of affordable units beyond what is required, it appears that the developer would have to target them to households at a higher income level than what’s called for in the City’s policy. We’ll work with the Department of Neighborhood Development to address this question and make a final recommendation soon.”
He said that the project is scheduled to go before the Parks Commission for an informal information session at the end of the month and that “we’ll determine how to proceed with respect to the BRA board after this meeting.”
The project recently came under fire from the Boston Residential Group (BRG), which owns Olmsted Place at 161 S. Huntington Ave. Olmsted Place abuts the Goddard House property. Curtis Kemeny, CEO and president of BRG, wrote a letter to the BRA about concerns with the Goddard House proposal, including height, density, and traffic.
Eden Properties and Samuels & Associates have plans to redevelop the former Goddard House property at 201 S. Huntington Ave. into 167 apartments.
The BRA held a community meeting for the project on Nov. 23, with most attendees speaking in favor of the project, though some raised questions over the affordability component.
The Goddard House controversially ceased operations on Sept. 8, 2012 and has remained vacant ever since. The enormous brick building was constructed in 1927 and housed about 100 seniors.
The developers, Eden Properties and Samuels & Associates, had filed their letter of intent earlier this year.
The project is anticipated to begin construction in summer 2016. For more information, visit bit.ly/1l01M2J.