Development scenarios included in the offering show a pair of 6-story buildings totaling up to 199,500 square feet/Image courtesy of Boston Housing Authority and Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture
The city of Boston is seeking developers to build affordable housing and music studios at a Brighton property recently donated by life science developer IQHQ Inc.
Two city agencies issued a request for proposals for the 290 North Beacon St. property, which contains a 34,000 square-foot commercial building on a 1.1-acre parcel.
Proposals should include at least 40,000 square feet of rehearsal and recording studios, up to 30,000 square feet of arts and cultural space and 60 to 150 income-restricted apartments, according to the solicitation which seeks submissions by May 12.
The property will be offered under a 99-year ground lease.
In March, IQHQ deeded the 290 North Beacon St. to the Boston Planning & Development Agency for $100. The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and the Boston Housing Authority are jointly overseeing the redevelopment.
Options include a joint venture or co-developer arrangement, according to the request for proposals. Development scenarios included in the offering show a pair of 6-story buildings totaling up to 199,500 square feet, with housing on the upper floors and up to three levels of arts and cultural space.
After musicians protested IQHQ’s plans to redevelop the Sound Museum rehearsal studios’ property at 155 North Beacon St. as life science space, the San Diego lab developer acquired the 290 North Beacon St. for $18 million in 2022 and agreed to donate the property to the city.
In June 2023, IQHQ received approval for a 400,000 square-foot lab project at 155 North Beacon St., which has yet to begin.
Another developer, Center Court Partners, offered short-term rehearsal space on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester after the Sound Museum was forced to leave the Brighton property in early 2023.
The IQHQ proposal drew attention to displacement of arts and cultural spaces by multifamily and lab development in Boston. Similar pressures in Somerville prompted the city in 2019 to adopt new zoning requiring developers to include arts and cultural space.
Funding from the BHA’s subsidized housing programs will be available for the project, which is adjacent to the BHA’s Faneuil Gardens property which is in the preliminary stages of redevelopment.
The Boston Housing Authority will provide $2.45 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for demolition and site preparation.
