IAG Gets Latest Look at Proposed 60 Kilmarnock St Residential Project

An overflow crowd was on hand for an Impact Advisory Group (IAG) meeting at Simmons College on Tuesday night to view the latest, preliminary plans for the 60 Kilmarnock St. residential development project.

The 420,800 square-foot project includes approximately 443 residential units in two buildings, located at 60, 67-75, 70-80 Kilmarnock St. and 59-75 Queensberry St., respectively, as well as 250 below-grade and surface parking spaces. The Boston real-estate management firm Cabot, Cabot & Forbes is the developer and Boston-based CBT Architects is the architect for the project.

Jacob Vance, senior development manager for Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, said the units would be studio, one, and two-bedrooms split between “mid-market condominium housing” and rental units.

Phil Casey, a principal at CBT Architects, said keeping in rhythm with Queensbury Street and its many courtyards and pocket parks, the design would carve out sections of the building on that side to accommodate greenspace on the grounds.

Other proposed design features include a pedestrian bridge located 20 feet above grade that would traverse the alley to link the two development sites; stepped terraces; and an active green roof, which Casey said CBT is still working out conceptually.

The preliminary design incorporates masonry and punched windows, although Casey said that CBT would be open to using other materials based on the recommendations of IAG members.

Andre Jones, housing director of the Fenway CDC (Community Development Corporation, said through a partnership with the the non-profit, Cabot, Cabot & Forbes contributed to the BPDA affordable-housing fund for the purchase of the Newcastle/Saranac apartments at 599 Columbus Ave., which is home to 97 affordable units.

In response to criticism that these affordable units were located outside the Fenway neigborhood, Jacob Vance, senior development manager for Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, said this other mitigation measures determined by IAG members would focus specifically on neighborhood impacts.

Tim Czerwienski, project manager for the Boston Planning and Development Authority, said a public meeting on the project would take place at Simmons College on Wednesday, Aug. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m., and that another public meeting would follow after Labor Day.

The BHPA is accepting public comments on the proposal until Sept. 10. For more information on the project, and to submit comments, visit http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/60-80-kilmarnock-street.

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