56 projects, $34 million recommended for inclusion in Community Preservation funding

The projects will be submitted to the Boston City Council for approval with an anticipated vote from the Council in March.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the City's Community Preservation Committee (CPC) this week recommended 56 projects, totaling more than $34 million, for inclusion in the fall funding round for the Community Preservation Act (CPA). The CPC held a public meeting on Monday, February 11, 2019, to vote on the Mayor's recommended slate of projects for funding. The projects will be submitted to the Boston City Council for approval with an anticipated vote from the Council in March.

"I am proud to recommend these proposals for funding approval, which will support our community in countless ways," said Mayor Walsh. "Since residents voted to adopt the Community Preservation Act two years ago, we have awarded CPA funding for projects in every neighborhood. We look forward to continuing to use this revenue to build on our work related to affordable housing, historic preservation and open space."

After a thorough review process of the applications received, the following projects are being recommended for funding:

Citywide

$5,000,000 to combat displacement through the purchase of existing rental units to income-restrict them as permanently affordable housing via the Acquisition Opportunity Program (AOP).
$3,800,000 to provide funding for a program offered by the Boston Home Center that will assist income-qualified first-time homebuyers.

Allston

$25,000 to renovate Ringer Park behind the West End House for the thousands of youth they serve each year with installation of an irrigation system, sod, and a drinking fountain.

Back Bay

$420,000 to stabilize, restore, and weatherproof the First Baptist Church steeple.
$200,000 to restore the stairs and fenced-off main entrance of the Arlington Street Church on Boylston Street.

Beacon Hill

$27,000 for a seed grant that will support the planting and management of the Esplanade trees, a key component of the City's effort to support and expand the its tree canopy.

Boston Harbor

$365,000 to repoint the brick on the Salah Hall building on Thompson Island used for STEM education by thousands of Boston Public Schools students.

Brighton

$1,000,000 to build 12 deed-restricted affordable condominiums on 90 Antwerp Street, which will be available to first-time homebuyers who earn up to 80% of Area Median Income, which the federal government currently deems to be approximately $75,000 for a family of three. The project will be developed on land owned by Harvard University that has been donated for the purpose of creating affordable homeownership opportunities.
$200,000 for a restoration project that will turn the Charles River Speedway buildings into a gathering space with dining facilities, retail shops, an outdoor plaza, and historic features.

Charlestown

$500,000 to restore the exterior of Memorial Hall, a 1791 mansion serving veterans and the larger community, and home of John Adams' Secretary of War.
$20,000 to add new sod, benches, and fencing for Kelly McGoff Park, a public park maintained by a mixed-income homeowners association.
$6,000 to add informational signs to the Gardens for Charlestown, the only community garden in Boston always open to the public.

Chinatown

$290,000 to repair the exterior and prevent water damage in the Chinatown Immigrant Heritage Center at the old Josiah Quincy School building.
$100,000 to renovate the volleyball and basketball courts of the Reggie Wong Memorial Park, Chinatown's only active park space.

Dorchester

$850,000 for a new playground for the Joseph Lee K-8 School that offers a specialized program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
$790,000 to complete the renovation of Garvey Playground with active use areas and a community-requested dog park.
$600,000 to build a new park for family day care programs and community events adjacent to Lena Park's affordable housing units.
$500,000 to renovate the Pierce Building at Uphams Corner, a cornerstone of the new arts district.
$460,000 to purchase three lots for a new park and playground at Norwell Street with a public-private partnership and a neighborhood association.
$140,000 to plan and design a new park in the center of Grove Hall, across from the Jeremiah E. Burke High School, Grove Hall Branch Library, and Grove Hall Community Center.
$100,000 to design the renovation of Coppens Square with a fountain, plaza, and landscaping.
$75,000 to the Farmers Collaborative to renovate an empty lot to grow food with raised beds, an arbor, and fruit trees near Fields Corner.

Downtown

$350,000 to help with major repairs to HVAC and other systems at the Old State House, one of the oldest and most visited sites on the Freedom Trail.
$315,000 to restore 17th and 18th century artifacts from beneath Faneuil Hall showing Boston's role in the transAtlantic slave trade, works of local artisans, and an emerging global marketplace.

East Boston

$950,000 to the Grace Apartments development to build 42 units of low-income elderly housing, including five units of housing for the homeless.
$735,200 to the proposed Aileron development to build seven housing units, including four affordable units.
$600,000 for a new playground at the East Boston Early Education Center.
$575,000 to restore the Nantucket Lightship, Boston's only floating museum.
$500,000 to create a new park to connect the renovated Boston Housing Authority Orient Heights development to the surrounding neighborhood.
$300,000 to build a fully accessible dock and dock house, creating access to the waterfront for youth and an adaptive sailing program at LoPresti Park across from the Boston Housing Authority Maverick Landing development.

Hyde Park

$450,000 to build an outdoor exercise station and playground at the Thomas M. Menino YMCA for public and YMCA use.
$350,000 to repair the roof and exterior masonry features to stop water damage for the First Congregational Church of Hyde Park, now the Hyde Park Seventh-day Adventist Church.
$20,000 to create a sitting area on the library grounds with benches and landscaping, which will include the restoration and display of historic cornices, at the Hyde Park Library.

Jamaica Plain

$498,000 to build a new playground adjacent to the Martha Eliot Health Center, Boston Housing Authority Mildred Hailey Apartments, and Jackson Square shops.

Kenmore/Fenway

$400,000 to complete the design for Charlesgate Park, a 13-acre historic park, part of the Frederick Law Olmsted original Emerald Necklace, that will transform the area and connect the Back Bay Fens and the Charles River.

Mattapan

$1,000,000 to the Morton Station Village development of 40 units of mixed-income housing including nine deed-restricted home ownership units that will be available to households earning 80-100% AMI, or from about $77,000 to $97,000 for three persons. The Morton Station Village will also feature a serenity park to honor the memory of the late Steven P. Odom, and is being built on formerly City-owned land.
$680,000 to renovate the field and track in Norfolk Park, adjacent to the Mildred Avenue K-8 School. The playground will also be redone.
$135,000 to turn vacant land on Flint Street into an urban farm called Astoria Farm for education and fresh local produce.

Mission Hill

$927,500 to Terrace Street Artist Condominiums to build 13 home ownership units with live/work space for qualified artists earning between 70 - 80% AMI, or between $60,000 and almost $70,000 for a two-person household.
$850,000 to Sociedad Latina to restore exterior features, bay windows, masonry, and roof for 1912 townhouse serving thousands of Latino youth.

North End

$1,960,500 to the Knights of Columbus to reuse their headquarters to create 23 affordable apartments for seniors, including three units of housing for homeless seniors, and a neighborhood meeting space.
$1,000,000 to add sea level rise mitigation features to Langone Park to prevent flooding and create a resilient waterfront as part of the City's Resilient Boston Harbor and Climate Ready Downtown plans.

Roslindale

$500,000 to create a green link between Roslindale Square and Forest Hills with a refurbished gateway at Arboretum Road near the Boston Housing Authority Archdale development.

Roxbury

$1,750,000 to Bartlett Station Lot D for construction of 52 units of housing, including 42 units restricted to Bostonians over the age of 55 who earn at or below 80% of AMI, or $69,000 for a two person household. This development also includes five units of housing for formerly homeless Bostonians. Lot D is part of the Bartlett Station redevelopment of the former MBTA bus yard in Dudley Square, and is being built on City-controlled land.
$1,000,000 to the Rio Grande Project, a proposal for a 25-story residential and commercial tower that will include 193 market-rate units and 48 affordable income-restricted units to those earning below 50% of Area Median Income, or less than $50,000 for a household of three persons.
$850,000 to Abbotsford, home to the National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA) or "the Big Head Museum," to replace the roof and restore masonry to make building weather tight.
$850,000 to the Dr. Marie E. Zakrzewska Building to restore windows on the first three floors of this historic building, so that the Dimock Center can create a residential recovery program in the space for men dealing with substance use disorder.
$500,000 to the former St. James African Orthodox Church for acquisition and emergency stabilization of the building for reuse as affordable housing and community and artist workspace.
$150,000 to create a green link with new stairs, path, and plaza connecting Highland Park, Marcella Field, and Jackson Square T station.
$100,000 to St. Luke's for emergency stabilization for Ralph Adam Cram structure that will become a small arts venue.
$45,000 to Charles St. AME to support a conditions assessment and emergency patching to prevent further water damage from the roof prior to the development of a full restoration plan.
$35,000 to Paula Titus Park to design a new passive park on a vacant parcel.

South End

$400,000 to Union United to complete accessibility features for a community food pantry and meeting space.
$146,000 to Peters Park for the completion of the park renovation, which will include path restoration and athletic features for local youth sports.
$136,500 to Haley House to complete fire safety features in the historic townhouse used for a daily soup kitchen, job training program, and volunteer housing.

West End:

$400,000 to Old West for tower restoration of 1806 building designed by Asher Benjamin.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT (CPA)

By adopting the CPA in November 2016, the City has created a Community Preservation Fund. This fund is capitalized primarily by a one percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills that began in July 2017. The City will use this revenue to fund initiatives consistent with CPA guidelines: affordable housing, historic preservation, open space and public recreation.

As part of the City's plan to oversee the investments made through the adoption of the CPA, Mayor Walsh worked in partnership with the Boston City Council to form a Community Preservation Committee (CPC) that will study community preservation needs and make recommendations on how CPA funds should be allocated. The CPC is made up of nine members, five of whom are representative of the City's boards and commissions and four of whom are appointed by the City Council. The funding of any project requires a recommendation from the committee and appropriation by the City. For more information, visit the Community Preservation webpage.