By Michael Coughlin Jr.
Last week, the Austin Street lots redevelopment, which in its entirety would bring four new buildings and several hundred units to the site, undertaken by Trinity Financial, was the topic of another Planning Department meeting, where feedback was addressed and updated plans were shared.
“We’ve been through a number of public meetings for the past two years. We took a pretty significant pause in the planning to try and address some abutter concerns, and we’re back here tonight with a project that we are all really excited about,” said Abby Goldenfarb, a Trinity senior vice president.
First, Goldenfarb highlighted and responded to feedback from the community. She addressed concerns about housing on the site, noting that the first phase of the project (Building B) would include 123 units of “affordable rental housing.”
“This is just part of the overall 705 units that we’re proposing on the site,” Goldenfarb said. “The reason why we’re starting with affordable rental housing right now is, given the financial markets, given the higher interest rates, and high construction costs, affordable rental housing is really the product type that we feel is the most financially feasible.”
She also noted the need for artist live-work spaces and cultural uses. She emphasized that other phases of the project would include affordable housing for artists and a community gallery.
Finally, Goldenfarb discussed the balance between rental and homeownership units. “We agree that a healthy neighborhood has a mix of affordable and market-rate homes, it has a mix of for-sale and rental homes, and that’s what we’re trying to achieve here,” she said.
“We’re mindful of not proposing something that cannot be built, and as the markets change and hopefully as interest rates come down, that will make the possibility of homeownership and market-rate housing more feasible, and we’ll see that in our hopefully subsequent phases.”
Next, Christoph Stump, a Trinity vice president of design and construction, discussed feedback related to parking, traffic, and transportation.
Comments included that there was not enough on-site parking for residents and that traffic would be negatively impacted, among others.
Stump explained that the project’s updated site plan includes “very limited” short-term public parking. It also contains inward-facing programming, which is slated to mitigate traffic impacts on abutters, among other measures.
Stump also responded to feedback related to air quality and noise. “We conducted extensive noise and air quality analyses at the site, and while the site is in proximity to a concrete plant, a highway, and several arterial roads, our engineering teams determined through really well-designed noise and air quality studies that the existing pollution does not exceed any relevant… Standards or pose difficulties to comply with… Standards,” he said.
It should also be noted that Building B will feature a passive house envelope, acoustic windows, and additional amenities.
Finally, Stump also spoke about open space, public realm, and connectivity, touching on several topics, including a path, distinct open spaces with shared multi-use programming, and more.
As the meeting progressed, Kendra Halliwell of ICON Architecture went over project updates.
In speaking about the site plan, Halliwell said that it “respects the existing street alignments and curbs along Middle Road and Service Road, remaining within the existing curb lines,” which will “accommodate vehicular access and needs of the users in the four buildings.”
New driveways and short-term parking areas have also been reconfigured within the sites.
Additionally, one of the playing fields has been converted into an open lawn on the site closest to the Gilmore Bridge (northern parcel).
Moreover, the uses of each site are further fleshed out. The northern parcel has been designated as “arts and culture,” while the other site, closest to Millers River Littoral Way (southern parcel), has been classified as “play and sports.”
Pedestrian and bike routes, along with connections between the two sites, have been refined.
Halliwell also highlighted the various programming planned for each parcel, such as an art path and a space for food trucks at the north, as well as a community recreation center and education space at the south, among other features.
As the presentation continued, building design and drawing inspiration from the neighborhood’s character were discussed. Additionally, height and massing were addressed, with buildings being taller at the highway and dropping as you approach the neighborhood.
Halliwell then displayed various renderings and views of the site before the next steps were broached.
James Keefe, an assistant project manager at Trinity, explained that they will be going through permitting for Phase One (Building B) and the master plan site for the remainder of the year.
Their goal is to receive BPDA Board and zoning approval over the next two months.
Next year, design development will continue, along with working on construction pricing and financing. Construction is projected to begin on Building B towards the end of 2026 and is expected to last approximately two years.
Regarding the other proposed buildings, Trinity has announced a partnership with the YMCA to potentially bring one to Building D and is also assessing the feasibility of Building A, which will include market-rate units.
“This is not the last you will see of us. As we advance the planning and permitting of Buildings A and D, we will be returning to engage the public to obtain additional feedback specific to these buildings as part of the Article 80 process, and we are very much looking forward to those conversations,” Keefe said.
After the presentation, the floor was opened to attendees for a question-and-answer session, which covered several topics, including union involvement, noise and air quality studies, among others.
Moreover, it should be noted that Sarah Peck, a development portfolio manager at the Planning Department, indicated that “this project, and the PDA Development Plan, and the PDA Master Plan” are slated to go before the BPDA Board for a vote in October.
For more information about this project, and to view a recording of last week’s meeting, visit https://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/austin-street-lots-redevelopment.