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Politics & Government

Scope of Washington Street Project in Jamaica Plain Expands

Developers outline a bigger project for Flanagan & Seaton site.

An updated plan for development of the 3521-3529 Washington St. project — which includes 12 more residential units — was made public recently, according to a notice from the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

The new plan details were outlined in an Expanded Project Notification Form prepared by Epsilon Associates, Inc., an engineering and environmental consulting firm. The purpose of the notification is to initiate review of the modified project under Article 80B of the Boston Zoning Code, the Large Project Review.

The initial plan included 30 residential condominiums, while the revised plan has 42 homebuyer residences, six of which would be affordable. Another change is the increased height of the proposed storage facility, originally two stories, now being presented as four.

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In addition to the number of residential units, their height and the height of the retail buildings were also increased, largely as a result of input gathered during community meetings in the initial design review process.

"After extensive neighborhood input through a series of meetings with local Burnett Street residents, the Stony Brook Neighborhood Association and representatives of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, the design evolved..." reads the Expanded Project Notification.

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According to the Notification, the site has been long underused compared to possible development and borders massive buildings and expansive areas, specifically the five story English High School and the MBTA right-of-way along the Orange Line corridor.

Additionally, as a direct result of community meetings and redevelopment authority suggestions, access to the proposed 1,223-unit self-storage facility was moved away from McBride Street and an increase in green space has been specified.

A reduction of surface parking from the initial proposal as well as all Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings are part of the modified plan.

The site, previously occupied by the Flanagan & Seaton used auto dealer, will include an internal way that will make travel on Washington Street unnecessary for vehicles moving across the site. A drive-through initially proposed has been eliminated, while a retail strip is planned along Washington Street. Grassy areas will buffer the new retail building from the Washington Street sidewalks that will also be upgraded as part of the plan. 

Developers SSG Development LLC of Brookline and New Boston Ventures LLC of Boston have assembled a team of participants that reads like a who's who in Boston development including Epsilon Associates, Inc., Goulston & Storrs, Goody Clancy, and Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture.

According to the report, the project will create 70 permanent full-time jobs and add $400,000 in annual real estate tax revenues to Boston coffers.

Based on that figure, if the residential units created are half the value of the mixed use project, the total project will create a real estate value upwards of $22 million for a parcel that sold for just over $1.5 million in 1995 and has deteriorated since.

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