The Boston Redevelopment Authority on Thursday approved four new residential projects totaling 792 new housing units, including the city’s first "Energy-Positive" housing development that includes a rooftop solar farm.
Two mixed-use buildings totaling 535,900 square feet at 345 Harrison Ave. will contain 602 housing units and up to 33,500 square feet of ground-level retail and restaurant space. Developer Nordblom Co. of Burlington is setting aside 78 units as affordable housing. Nordblom also will pay $420,000 for nearby streetscape improvements and $250,000 in other community benefits.
A project by architect and developer Sebastian Mariscal calls for 44 housing units at 778 Parker St. and 77 Terrace St. in Mission Hill, both of which are city-owned parcels. Billed as Boston’s first "energy-positive" housing community, the buildings will contain geothermal heating systems and a 14,500-square-foot rooftop solar farm. The 47,000-square-foot development is projected to generate 21 percent more energy than it consumes, with the surplus sold back to the grid. The $13-million project will include 44 housing units, including 10 affordable units, and 4,124 square feet of retail space.
In Allston, a $17-million, 93,000-square-foot project will replace two one-story buildings at 61-83 Braintree St. with 80 rental units, 1,715 square feet of commercial space for incubators, 562 square feet of retail and three community rooms. The developer, Waypoint Cos., will pay $30,000 for improvements to Penniman Park and $10,000 for a bicycle route study. The existing Thompson Durkee Co. office and warehouse will be demolished.
In Chinatown, 66 affordable units are planned in a 57,954-square-foot residential project at Oxford and Ping On Streets. The $16-million project by the Chinese Economic Development Council was previously approved for 47 affordable units. The BRA approved $1.16 million from its Inclusionary Development Policy Fund to benefit the project. The land for the project, valued at $3.6 million, was donated by Forest City, developer of 120 Kingston St., as part of its affordable housing obligation.
