By Dan Murphy
The Fenway CDC’s proposed project, which will bring much-needed affordable-housing ownership opportunities to Beacon Hill, moved even closer to reality after it garnered a unanimous vote of non-opposition from the Beacon Hill Civic Association Zoning and Licensing Committee at the group’s virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
The committee then voted 15-0-0 to approve a motion made by committee member Al Van Ranst not to oppose the requested zoning relief from the city’s Zoning Board of Appeal.
Per its agreement with developer JDMD, the nonprofit Fenway CDC (Community Development Center) is redeveloping two adjacent properties located at 27-29 Hancock St., which are both currently zoned as lodging houses, into a total of 15 units at 80-100 percent AMI (Area Median Income) for new homeowners.
Construction is expected to take around 15 months to complete, after kicking off at the end of this year or in January of next year. Closing on the sale of the residential units is then expected to follow in the third quarter of ’27, said Eddie Quinn, real estate project manager for Fenway CDC.
The committee’s determination on this matter came with provisos that a restriction on any new roofdecks on the buildings be memorialized; that a transportation management plan be submitted by the applicant; and that an effort be made to give precedence for housing to displaced former neighborhood residents via any available legal means.
During public testimony, Harold Brink, president of Homes on Hancock – a grass-roots group which continually advocated for the creation of adequate affordable housing at 27-29 Hancock St. – said his group had worked closely and extensively with both Fenway CDC and the city in developing the current project layout, and that his group is “very much in support” of this latest project iteration.
Likewise, John Gulliver, co-founder of Homes on Hancock, as well as a BHCA board member, said he is “very confident the Fenway CDC will do a great job.”
Gulliver also noted there is now only one affordable home ownership unit on Beacon Hill, so the proposed project would have a significant impact in the neighborhood.
“After years of dedication from neighbors, stakeholders, and elected officials, we’re thrilled to take this critical step forward in supporting Fenway CDC’s proposal,” said Gulliver in a statement. “The affordable homeownership solution at 27/29 Hancock will help meet the immediate needs of Beacon Hill and the city as a whole.”
JDMD, which developed The Archer Residences – a luxury condo building on Temple Street – purchased 27-29 Hancock St. in 2018, with plans to gift the buildings to another developer for the creation of off-site affordable housing units to satisfy its IDP (Inclusionary Development Policy) with the city for the Archer project.
Meanwhile, the committee’s determinations on this matter was ratified by the BHCA board at the group’s monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 8.