The Board granted approval for the 252-254 Adams Street redevelopment project in Dorchester. The development team will raze the existing four structures on the site and construct a four-story residential building containing 15 rental units. The project site is located in a residential neighborhood, which includes primarily two and three family homes with a mixture of small commercial and retail.

The project includes the creation of an approximately 18,178 square foot building. The unit breakdown consists of 15 two-bedroom units ranging from 1,050 square feet to 1,150 square feet. The project’s architecture will be responsive to the existing neighborhood buildings’ materials, massing, fenestration and details. The dominant structures along Adams Street are multi-story, brick buildings with stone accents.

The Walsh Corp. is the developer of the project. ADF Architects is the project architect; Robert E. Hannigan Associates is the civil engineer; and Tri-Construction, Inc. is the general contractor.

The development team expects to begin the construction in the first quarter of 2010 with an estimated completion date in the fourth quarter of 2010. Total project cost is approximately $2.5 million. The project will provide approximately 20 construction jobs.

Neponset Field Project in Hyde Park Makes Revisions, Moves Forward

The Board also granted re-approval to the Neponset Field project in Hyde Park, which includes the creation of 99 residential units. The project site consists of nine adjacent parcels that contain two vacant existing structures: a one-story manufacturing building, located at 36 Poydras Street, formerly occupied by Perkit Folding Box Corporation, a manufacturer of cardboard pizza boxes; and a two-story, wood-sided residential building located at 60 Poydras Street. Both existing structures will be demolished prior to construction. The project will create 50 affordable elderly housing units, one management staff unit and 48 homeownership units. Twenty of the 48 homeownership units will be affordable.

The project was previously approved by the BRA in January 2006. While there are no significant changes to the overall program and public benefits of the original project, the developer proposed changes to the phasing of the program, as well as provided detailed information and schedule for the development of the elderly units. Phase I now includes the creation of the 50 elderly units and the one management staff unit. These units will be built within a four-story multi-family structure located at the corner of the project site facing the Neponset River. The developer has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to fund most of the elderly units and will proceed with these first. Additional HUD funding is expected soon. Phase II will include the creation of the 48 homeownership units. Due to the current economic climate, Phase II is on hold for now and will commence once market demand is demonstrated.

The development team consists of ETC Development Corporation as the developer; Chia-Ming Sze Architects as the project architect; Vanasse Hagen Brustlin, Inc. as the traffic consultant; Tetra Tech Rizzo as the permitting consultant; and Crumsky and Levin, LLP as the legal counsel.

Total project cost is approximately $14 million. To assist with the creation of the elderly units, the development team has received funding from the City’s Neighborhood Housing Trust Fund and the Department of Neighborhood Development as well as the Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development. The developer is ready to move forward with the first part of Phase I.

Media Contact: Jessica Shumaker, 617.918.4446.

Release Date: November 18, 2009