CORCORAN-SUNCAL SUBMITS EXPANDED PROJECT NOTIFICATION FORM (PNF) FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BUNKER HILL PUBLIC HOUSING COMMUNITY
Formally begins BRA review for “One Charlestown”
CHARLESTOWN – September 30, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — Corcoran-SunCal, in partnership with the Boston Housing Authority, has filed an Environmental Notification Form and Expanded Project Notification Form with state officials and the Boston Redevelopment Authority for design and construction of the redevelopment of the Bunker Hill Public Housing community, known as One Charlestown.
“We are excited to begin the review process with the Boston Redevelopment Authority,” said Joseph Corcoran, President of Corcoran Jennison Associates. “For months, we have worked with residents and neighbors of the Bunker Hill Apartments to create a truly special vision for One Charlestown. Now the BRA will have a chance to consider our proposal and collect feedback from the wider Boston community. Our hope is they will recognize what a tremendous opportunity One Charlestown represents, not just for current residents but the entire neighborhood.”
In addition to the Project Notification Form filed with the BRA, Corcoran-SunCal also filed a comprehensive Environmental Notification Form with the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs – as part of the agency’s Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review process.
One Charlestown comprises a new mixed-income community that will replace all of the existing public housing on a one-for-one basis, as well as add market-rate housing to attract new residents and revitalize the neighborhood. The 27.6 acre site will consist of 13 blocks of well-lit, tree-lined city streets that will be fully integrated into the Charlestown neighborhood. The plan calls for approximately 3,200 units altogether, replacing all 1,100 current units of public housing and adding 2,100 units of market-rate, rental, and for sale housing. All current residents will have the right to return to the new development.
An important feature of the mixed-income model at One Charlestown is the resident partnership that Corcoran-SunCal will establish with the current residents, represented by the Charlestown Tenant Task Force. This partnership is modeled after the successful collaboration between residents, developer and management at Harbor Point on the Bay in Dorchester, another former federal housing project that was redeveloped into a mixed-income community by Corcoran Jennison. The partnership will bring One Charlestown residents to the table on a host of issues related to the governance and management of the community. It will also provide a valuable feedback mechanism for residents, ensuring all voices are heard not just during the initial development phase, but also throughout the life of the property.
“The One Charlestown model – a robust partnership with residents combined with the introduction of mixed income units – is the single best way for public housing to be preserved across the entire City of Boston,” said Boston Housing Authority Administrator Bill McGonagle.
The project will create new mixed-use buildings and a street network that restores connections between a diverse community and the rest of the neighborhood. All units at One Charlestown will include finishes, features, and amenities that are typical of new, quality housing in Boston. The community will include new retail opportunities along Bunker Hill Street, open spaces and courtyards, brightly-lit walkways and underground parking, in addition to community services so that residents may enjoy a vibrant, healthy and more sustainable living experience in Charlestown.
Click here, for a rendering of the One Charlestown project design.
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About Corcoran-SunCal
Corcoran-SunCal is a partnership between Corcoran Jennison Associates and SunCal. Together, they are focused on the concept that mixed-income communities offer the richest social context for all their residents, creating a sustainable and safe environment for everyone while also offering the best opportunities for advancement for their low income population. This new partnership is providing a new model for the redevelopment and repositioning of public housing in the United States.
About the Boston Housing Authority
The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) is a public agency that provides subsidized housing to low and moderate income individuals and families. In addition to conventional public housing communities throughout Boston, BHA offers rental assistance programs. BHA receives federal and state funding in order to provide housing programs to individuals and families. BHA’s mission is to provide stable, quality affordable housing for low and moderate income persons; to deliver these services with integrity and mutual accountability; and to create living environments which serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency.
Contact:
Cayenne Isaksen
(617) 646 1028
cisaksen (at) oneillandassoc (dot) com
Michael Sherry
(617) 646 1026
msherry (at) oneillandassoc (dot) com
