The developer planning a major project in an office park on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill has put forward a scaled back proposal after hearing feedback from neighbors. The new plans would reduce the density and height of the three-building development at 1280-1330 Boylston Street, according to Cliff Kensington of City Realty, who presented the… Continue reading News in brief: Developer scales back proposal for Route 9 office park project
Category: Housing
Chestnut Hill Realty opens new building in Hancock Village
A major piece of the Hancock Village development in South Brookline is opening this month, as owner Chestnut Hill Realty starts welcoming new tenants to the 250-unit Franklin Building. The new building on Sherman Road is the largest in the sprawling residential community on the border between Brookline and West Roxbury, which is home to… Continue reading Chestnut Hill Realty opens new building in Hancock Village
What’s your vision for Brookline? Town seeks input on comprehensive plan
Right now, anyone who lives, works, shops or commutes in Brookline has a big opportunity to weigh in on the town’s future. Last week, the town publicly launched its comprehensive plan process, which officials hope will shape housing, zoning, transportation and business policy in Brookline over the next decade. The town has hired a consultant,… Continue reading What’s your vision for Brookline? Town seeks input on comprehensive plan
Talking trash: Apartment buildings, not restaurants, top Brookline’s waste violations
Earlier this month, photos of a giant pile of trash outside a block of new restaurants on Beacon Street near St. Mary’s went viral on Brookline’s social media pages and caught the attention of a local TV news channel. The spectacle earned quick attention from town officials, too, who fined the building owner $600. Incidents… Continue reading Talking trash: Apartment buildings, not restaurants, top Brookline’s waste violations
A high-end hotel, 500-plus units of housing, and $9 million in tax revenue: Developer unveils proposal for major Chestnut Hill project
Plans for a key piece of land on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill, the town’s last hope for a major commercial development that could ease the strain on residents’ tax bills, are coming into focus. City Realty, which owns a large but half-vacant property at 1280-1330 Boylston Street put forward its initial proposal for a… Continue reading A high-end hotel, 500-plus units of housing, and $9 million in tax revenue: Developer unveils proposal for major Chestnut Hill project
BHA director Michael Alperin stepping down after four years
Brookline Housing Authority executive director Michael Alperin is departing from his position after a tenure which saw major growth for the town’s public housing agency. Alperin, who has led BHA since 2020, is moving on to what he called a “new, socially driven affordable housing venture focused on New England.” Leading BHA, he said, was… Continue reading BHA director Michael Alperin stepping down after four years
New director takes the helm of Brookline Community Development Corporation
The Brookline Community Development Corporation, a local nonprofit aiming to build affordable housing and provide housing assistance to residents, has hired a new executive director. Giovanny Valencia, who has worked at the BCDC’s counterpart in Jamaica Plain for 10 years, will start the new position in the fall. The BCDC was founded in 1980 to… Continue reading New director takes the helm of Brookline Community Development Corporation
Developer pauses demolition on Coolidge Corner site after community outcry over asbestos
Demolition of a historic garage near Coolidge Corner has been paused until at least Monday after a barrage of criticism from neighbors and elected town officials, who alleged that developer Chestnut Hill Realty did not adequately inform abutters and the community about the risks from asbestos in the building. Work at the Waldo-Durgin site, two… Continue reading Developer pauses demolition on Coolidge Corner site after community outcry over asbestos
Demolition begins at Waldo-Durgin site, paving way for major Coolidge Corner development
Dust clouded the air just north of Coolidge Corner in recent weeks, as demolition began on the site of two historic garages which will now become the center of a major new development. The Waldo-Durgin project, decades in the making, is moving forward, although it will likely be years before a new hotel and apartment… Continue reading Demolition begins at Waldo-Durgin site, paving way for major Coolidge Corner development
Taking ‘baby steps’ to net-zero: Local groups aim to educate residents on electrifying their homes
In June 2022, local climate group Mothers Out Front convened for a regularly scheduled brunch to tackle a problem. Brookline had set a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. But residents who wanted to phase out home appliances powered by fossil fuels were unsure of where to begin. A year later on Brookline… Continue reading Taking ‘baby steps’ to net-zero: Local groups aim to educate residents on electrifying their homes
News in brief: Lottery for senior affordable housing, town seeks input on brand
Lottery for senior affordable housing units on Centre Street Hebrew SeniorLife, a senior healthcare and community living nonprofit, announced that it will be holding a lottery for 54 affordable units at its new development at 108 Centre Street in Brookline, which is expected to open this winter. Applicants or a member of their household must… Continue reading News in brief: Lottery for senior affordable housing, town seeks input on brand
Developer withdraws plans for Harvard Street apartment building, will aim for smaller project
The developer behind a controversial proposal to build an apartment building on Harvard Street has withdrawn his plans and will pursue a smaller building instead. Town officials and neighbors were frustrated by Oak Hill Properties’ original proposal, which called for a six-story, 40-unit building at 429 Harvard Street, the site of a shuttered Citizens’ Bank.… Continue reading Developer withdraws plans for Harvard Street apartment building, will aim for smaller project
News in brief: Mandatory sessions for Community Preservation Act funding, Porchfest applications open
Mandatory sessions for Community Preservation Act funding The town’s Community Preservation Act Committee, which helps decide how to direct funding from the property tax surcharge known as the CPA, is holding information sessions this month for potential recipients. The sessions are mandatory for any organization or town department to be eligible to apply for CPA… Continue reading News in brief: Mandatory sessions for Community Preservation Act funding, Porchfest applications open
Developer’s proposal for six-story apartment building on Harvard Street tests town’s zoning vision
A developer’s proposal to build a six-story apartment building on the vacant site of a former bank on Harvard Street has frustrated town officials and raised new questions about the role of zoning in shaping Brookline’s housing landscape. In November 2023, after months of negotiations, Town Meeting overwhelmingly approved a rezoning plan to comply with… Continue reading Developer’s proposal for six-story apartment building on Harvard Street tests town’s zoning vision
Q&A: Congressman Jake Auchincloss on Israel, the November election and the Massachusetts housing crisis
In 2020, Jake Auchincloss was elected to represent Massachusetts’s 4th Congressional District, which stretches through five counties, from Brookline and Newton to Fall River and Somerset. Now running unopposed for a third term, Auchincloss, a Marine veteran and former Newton City Councilor, is one of the youngest members of Congress at age 36. He’s also… Continue reading Q&A: Congressman Jake Auchincloss on Israel, the November election and the Massachusetts housing crisis
News in brief: New housing portal, Maimonides selling building, meet the Brookliners riding PMC
The town has announced the launch of a new Housing Case Inquiry portal, which allows residents to contact the town about housing challenges in order to get help from the appropriate department. As part of the town’s new Housing Stability Office, which was created by Town Meeting in June 2023, the portal can help with… Continue reading News in brief: New housing portal, Maimonides selling building, meet the Brookliners riding PMC
Town Meeting wrap up: Historic CPA vote approves $8 million for 11 projects, world language amendment rejected
Town Meeting approved historic funding for eleven new town projects through the Community Preservation Act on the final night of its session last week. Members also voted down a budget amendment to restore funding for the Brookline schools’ world language classes for kindergarten through fifth grade. Town Meeting is Brookline’s 263-person legislative body, typically meeting… Continue reading Town Meeting wrap up: Historic CPA vote approves $8 million for 11 projects, world language amendment rejected
Town Meeting votes to ease restrictions on ADUs
Town Meeting on Tuesday night passed a measure aimed at making it easier for residents to build accessory dwelling units, known as ADUs, on their property. ADUs, sometimes called in-law apartments, are a secondary unit on the lot of a single-family home, inside the home or in a detached garage. They were legalized in Brookline… Continue reading Town Meeting votes to ease restrictions on ADUs
Survey finds strong support for affordable housing development among Brookline residents
Most respondents to a town wide survey say it’s becoming more difficult to afford living in Brookline and support increasing taxes to build affordable housing. Results from the survey sponsored by Brookline for Racial Justice and Equity (BRJE) and conducted by MassInc Polling found that a majority of the respondents support housing development in response… Continue reading Survey finds strong support for affordable housing development among Brookline residents
BHA breaks ground on new 115-unit affordable housing project on Marion Street
State and town officials donned helmets and tossed dirt with ceremonial shovels on Tuesday at the site of a major new public housing project set to rise near Coolidge Corner in two years. The new Brookline Housing Authority development at 32 Marion Street will include 115 units for low-income elderly and disabled residents. The six-story… Continue reading BHA breaks ground on new 115-unit affordable housing project on Marion Street