Finding any housing in Boston is tough, but finding affordable housing is another story. The proposed solution? A mixed-use community development designed to address the housing crisis and provide updated resources for the community. Think: your local library — specifically, the West End branch of the Boston Public Library.
The Mayor’s Office of Housing is accepting proposals for the Cambridge Street location to bring a new 17,500-sqft library to the ground floor and affordable housing units to the five to 10 stories above.
This is one of three library locations expected to add housing in the next few years. A similar project is already in the works for Chinatown with the approval of 66 apartments and 44 condominiums, plus a new BPL branch on the ground floor. Who’s next? Proposals for a new branch in Upham’s Corner are also under consideration.
