McBride Street Development Green Lit Over Neighborhood Council Objections

Print More
A view of the proposed 3521-3529 Washington St. project looking north along Washington (to the left) and east along McBride.

SSG Development and New Boston Ventures

A view of the proposed 3521-3529 Washington St. project looking north along Washington (to the left) and east along McBride.

A view of the proposed 3521-3529 Washington St. project looking west along Washington (to the left) from the corner of McBride and Washington.

SSG Development and New Boston Ventures

A view of the proposed 3521-3529 Washington St. project looking west along Washington (to the left) from the corner of McBride and Washington.

A mammoth project along the rapidly-changing Washington Street corridor won approval from the Boston Redevelopment Authority on Thursday night.

Neighbors had pushed for and gotten key changes to the design for 132 residential units with retail and a four-story self storage facility at Washington and McBride.

The development at the former Flanagan & Seaton Motor Car Co. has been in the works since 2010, when it looked quite different from the proposal that passed the Redevelopment Authority's board on Thursday night.

The city says the $80 million project will create 242 construction jobs.

How it Changed

Instead of parking out front along Washington, the project now hides the parking in and under a central lot. Instead of three separate chunks of housing, a more dense design leaves room for a community garden and other outdoor space.

Here's an overview of the development:

  • 132 residential units, with 88 in a five-story mixed-use building at the corner of Washington and McBride streets and 44 in a block lining the train tracks off Burnett Street.
  • A four-story, 132,000 square-foot self-storage facility
  • 25,000 square feet of retail on the first floor of the mixed-use building
  • 166 parking spaces both above and below ground

Since 2010, neighborhood groups including the Overall site plan for 3521-3529 Washington St. as of Aug. 25, 2014. Overall site plan for 3521-3529 Washington St. as of Aug. 25, 2014.[/caption]

Contamination an issue

One big change from the developer's initial plans was moving what is now a 44-unit residential block as far away from contaminated land as they could. Soil testing, according to architect Andy Graves, showed contamination from the area's previous industrial uses is concentrated under what would be the self-storage facility.

Much of the soil in the corner by the train tracks and McBride Street will have to be dug out and shipped off, said David Williams, director of market development for SSG. The developers are still working out with the Department of Environmental Protection what exactly has to happen at the site.

Community Benefits

Developers touted several aspects of the project that provide amenities to the neighborhood.

Among them is a community garden that, according to Fred Vetterlein of the McBride streets. The project includes 44 residential units seen here between the train tracks and Burnett Street. The Flanagan & Seaton site occupies a long block at the corner of Washington and McBride streets. The project includes 44 residential units seen here between the train tracks and Burnett Street.[/caption]

3,855 Views