The BPDA’s first approved project from the Downtown Residential Conversion Incentive Pilot Program is set to add new residential units to a recovering Downtown Boston.
In case you missed it
The new program provides an incentive for developers who convert vacant offices into residential buildings. The overall goal of this program is to increase the housing supply and foot traffic in Downtown Boston. City officials have mostly focused on downtown office buildings — however, projects throughout the city have also been considered.
Who’s up first?
The project at 281 Franklin St. will renovate the existing 11,000-sqft mixed-use office building into 15 residential apartment units. The finished result will include 10 studio units, five one-bedroom units, and three affordable housing units with a ground-level restaurant below.
This was the first applicant approved when the program opened in the fall, and is expected to begin construction in the coming months. The project will also comply with the new Inclusionary Zoning requirements + the new Stretch Energy Code.
Coming up next
BPDA has other applications currently pending for the office-to-apartment conversion incentive program. The largest of these projects would create 150 new residential units. Stay tuned for more updates on the other projects.
