BPDA Approves YWCA Boston Rehab Project

At its March meeting last week the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) board approved the renovation project at 140 Clarendon St. that will support housing and wrap around social services for individuals and households experiencing homelessness.

“The approval of 140 Clarendon Street in Back Bay will renovate the existing YWCA Boston Building and convert the approximately 50,000 square feet of vacant or underutilized hotel and office space into affordable housing units, resident community rooms, health and wellness amenities, and offices for building management and supportive services,” wrote the BPDA board in its decision.

The project includes 210 income-restricted units at or below 60 percent Area Median Income, 111 units of which will be for formerly homeless individuals or families

The renovation to the Clarendon Street YWCA will preserve the Lyric Stage of Boston theatre and Snowden International School.

“Through a collaboration with The Pine Street Inn, the new project will include wrap-around social services for households that have experienced homelessness, including on-site case managers, and social activities, access to job training services, and other social service supports,” the BPDA’s decision continues. “The project will create 210 apartments, all of which will be income-restricted to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the AMI. The existing commercial uses on the ground floor, the Lyric Stage of Boston theatre and the Snowden International School (a Boston Public Schools facility), will remain at the building, and YWCA Boston will continue to have its offices at the building.” The YWCA Boston building is nearly 100 years old, and YWCA Boston is the oldest YWCA organization in the country. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. No exterior additions are planned, but exterior repairs will be undertaken. All exterior repairs will be undertaken in accordance with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings, according to the BPDA.

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