Development

Proposed Renovations to Centre Street Apartment Building Would Keep 97% Affordability

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The owner of a Centre Street apartment building with tenants who are primarily low-income plans on renovating the building, and keeping 143 out of 147 units deemed affordable. The owner of the building, the Jamaica Plain Company, on behalf of Paul Clayton, filed a letter of intent (LOI) with the Boston Planning & Development Agency on Sept. 18, to renovate the Forbes Building located at 545 Centre St. The Forbes Building is the last property in the Section 13A Rental Housing Portfolio, according to the LOI. Last year, it was believed that at least 85 apartments were preserved for low-income renters for at least 20 years through the program.

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Development

Rally to Stop Displacement of 150 Low-Income JP Residents on June 12

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The Forbes Building Tenants Association is holding a rally on Saturday to stop the possible displacement of more than 150 residents who are mostly low-income seniors and disabled persons. Forbes tenants preparing for the rally + press conference this Saturday!! Forbes = 147 unit bldg at 545 Centre St JP, mostly low-income seniors, persons w disabilities. Owner hasn’t followed thru on renewing subsidy contracts long-term; will expire soon (1/2) #bospoli pic.twitter.com/X4r1X6ZOcw
— MAHT (@MAHT_hudtenants) June 10, 2021

What's at stake is at least 85 apartments of which the association believed were being preserved for low-income renters for at least 20 years in the Forbes Building located at 545 Centre St through the 13A program. Thirty-seven of the units were to be preserved through the state's Mass Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), and 48 apartments through Project Based Vouchers (PBVs) from the Boston Housing Authority (BHA).

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Police and Fire

Improper Disposal of Smoking Materials Sparked Low-Rise Blaze

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Rear of Forbes Building pic.twitter.com/3njYwMAloN— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) February 16, 2015

Investigators are blaming a seventh-floor fire that forced the partial evacuation of a low-rise apartment building on a resident's improper disposal of smoking materials. The fire alarm of the multi-use building activated at 1 p.m. Monday, said Steve MacDonald, spokesperson for the Boston Fire Department. One part of the building has eight floors, another seven. It was in the seven-story section, which houses Beth Israel Deaconess Jamaica Plain on the first floor, where the fire started.

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Police and Fire

Firefighters Knock Down Seventh-Floor Fire at 545 Centre St.

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Roof fire at 545 centre. @universalhub @02130News pic.twitter.com/02645PIJ4p— Shamus Moynihan (@ShamusJP) February 16, 2015

Boston Firefighters are working fire on the top floor of the Forbes Building. According to the department's Twitter feed, they have knocked down a fire on the seventh floor. UPDATE: Full story, including the cause of the fire. The building is mostly housing for seniors.

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