Image courtesy of Stantec
Following over two years of review and public comments that prompted major changes to the development plan, Boston-based Core Investments received approval to build 11 commercial and residential buildings totaling nearly 3.8 million square feet on South Boston’s Dorchester Avenue.
The On the Dot project will create 1,460 housing units, 17 percent of which will be income-restricted, comprising over a third of the project square-footage.
The 21-acre site at 475-511 Dorchester Ave. is part of a neighborhood steadily transforming from industrial uses to large multifamily and commercial buildings, including the Washington Village apartments on Old Colony Ave. and National Development’s Iron Works mixed-use campus on Dorchester Avenue.
Elected officials, including Rep. Stephen Lynch and Boston City Council President Ed Flynn, praised Core Investments for updating the plans in response to public comments. ICore Investments reduced building heights, and increased both the amount of housing and percentage of affordable units in 2022, prompting the Andrew Square Civic Assoc. to support the project. The final plan calls for building heights ranging from 150 to 225 feet, or a maximum of approximately 22 stories.
“There was a significant and robust community engagement to create the plan, to define the heights and the uses,” said Mark Rosenshein of Trademark Partners, a consultant with the development team, during a presentation to the Boston Planning & Development Agency board Thursday.
The board approved the master plan for the entire site, but individual buildings will be subject to review by the BPDA and Boston Civic Design Commission.
The former scrapyard just north of the MBTA’s Andrew station has been used for construction storage and parking in recent years.
Developers estimate the first phase of the project will break ground in 2024 or 2025, comprising four buildings totaling 1.4 million square feet. The BPDA required a 331-unit residential building at 495 Dorchester Ave. to be completed before any commercial space.
Developers agreed to deed restrictions setting aside 3.2 acres of public open space and public improvements, including 1.5 acres of park and recreational spaces.
Core Investments originally proposed a last-mile delivery station for Amazon on a portion of the property, but withdrew the plan after opposition from the BPDA board.
During its October meeting, the BPDA board approved an additional 233 housing units, including 57 affordable units at 2 Shawsheen Road in East Boston, 27 condominiums at 156 Wellington Hill St. in Mattapan, 95 apartments at 1558 Tremont St. in Mission Hill, 33 condos at 118 B St. in South Boston and 21 housing units at 27 Farragut Road in South Boston.
The board also approved Mayor Michelle Wu’s incentive program for office-to-housing conversions, clearing the way for developers to apply for tax breaks and qualify for fast-track approval of such projects.
Successful applicants will enter a payment in lieu of taxes agreement which would provide a 75 percent property tax abatement for up to 29 years.
The program will be available to owners of properties in the downtown area, South End, Leather District, Bulfinch Triangle and Fort Point, according to a map released by the BPDA. Properties elsewhere in the city would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Applications are due in June 2024, with selected projects required to obtain a building permit by October 2025.
