Key Boston boards approve new JP development with mostly affordable units

Real Estate

The 48-unit proposal drew strong community support in a neighborhood hungry for more housing.

A long-empty auto parts store in Jamaica Plain is one step closer to becoming a 48-unit, mostly affordable apartment building after the project secured a critical board approval last week.

The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved the project on Tuesday, following the Boston Planning Board’s December approval. 

Arx Urban, along with JGE Architecture + Design, proposed the six-story, 90% affordable unit complex at 294 Hyde Park Ave. The project includes developing approximately 49,800 square feet of apartment units, with a mix of studios, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units. 

There will be 43 affordable units, including a range of units affordable to people making 30-60% of the area median income. 

Five of the units will be market-rate by design, allowing residents who no longer qualify for AMI units to stay in the building rather than be displaced. 

The building will include 17 parking spaces and bike storage and will be all-electric. 

Johanna Schneider, a lawyer with Hemenway & Barnes, on behalf of the developers, noted that the plans changed following an evolved community process at the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. 

Changes included reducing the height and setbacks from the street, and widening the sidewalk on Hyde Park Avenue. Design changes also include updating materials to better align with the neighborhood. 

The project received overall positive feedback from community members, who stated it will bring much-needed housing to the neighborhood. 

Those opposed to the BPDA comments were worried about the building’s scale.

“I support this project 100%,” said Nathan Eckstrom, a Jamaica Plain resident at the Zoning Board meeting. 

Eckstrom noted that the neighborhood has seen previous projects fail due to funding, and he hopes this one moves forward, adding, “This seems like a project the city needs.” 

Founded in 2014, Arx Urban has completed 20 multi-family and mixed-use projects, delivering close to 1,000 housing units, according to its website. 

The developers have worked on other affordable housing projects, including a 62-unit mixed-income apartment complex in Chelsea, a 47-unit rental development in Dorchester, and a 31-unit apartment building in Roslindale. 

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.