By Dan Murphy
A minor modification to the South End Urban Renewal Plan must be approved before a proposed project at 436 Tremont St., also known as the Castle Square Apartments, can move forward, enabling the Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology to occupy ground-floor space there.
Franklin Cummings Tech is presently relocating to Nubian Square, but for many years, the nonprofit, private college, which offers technology and trades programs, has been headquartered at 41 Berkeley St., directly across the street from Castle Square Apartments, said Jerry Chu, senior property manager at Castle Square Apartments, during a virtual meeting on the matter sponsored by the city’s Planning Department on Monday, Dec. 8.
The college has subsequently collaborated with tenants on many occasions over the years, added Chu, and since Franklin Cummings Tech must vacate its South End site at the end of this year, ground-floor space at 436 Tremont St. is being repurposed to create Franklin Cummings Tech classroom space for HVAC installation and repair instruction.
This space is currently home to a daycare center, which opted not to renew its lease about a year ago, said Chu, while another existing daycare center will continue to operate on site.
The project isn’t expected to have any impact on tenants, who have been notified of and invited to participate in trade education that will soon be offered on site, said Chu.
Meanwhile, the proposed modification to the South End Urban Renewal Plan necessary for the project to move forward was scheduled to go before the Boston Planning & Development Agency board for a vote at its meeting on Dec. 11, which took place at City Hall, as well as virtually.