Community Preservation Act: Walsh recommends 67 Projects

10.2 min readBy Published On: February 22nd, 2021Categories: News0 Comments

Projects include $13 million for affordable housing, over $5 million for historic preservation, and over $6 million for open space and recreation

BOSTON – Monday, February 22, 2021 – Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the City of Boston Community Preservation Committee (CPC) today announced their recommendation of 67 projects, totaling over $25.5 million in grants through the Community Preservation Act (CPA) current funding round. Following the CPC’s public hearing and vote on Thursday, February 11, 2021 and Mayor Walsh’s recommendation, the proposed projects have been filed with the Boston City Council for a vote of approval. Projects supported with Community Preservation Act funding must create or preserve affordable housing, historic sites, or open space and recreation.

“Projects supported by funding through the Community Preservation Act are a reflection of the needs and voices of the residents in our neighborhoods. Because proposals are developed and created by Bostonians, each project directly serves each of our communities,” said Mayor Walsh. “I want to thank everyone who submitted a project proposal to improve and preserve open spaces, affordable housing or historic spaces throughout the City of Boston.”

Including this funding round, when approved by the City Council, the City of Boston will have awarded over $92 million to support 198 projects across the City since residents voted to adopt the Community Preservation Act in 2016. Community Preservation Act-funded projects can be found in 23 neighborhoods. Of those supported since its creation, there have been 85 open space and recreation projects, 27 affordable housing projects and 86 historic preservation projects.

After the Committee’s review of applications received for Community Preservation Act funding, the following projects are recommended for grants. The proposals include 28 open space and recreation, five affordable housing, 34 historic preservation projects:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Allston-Brighton

$617,850 to partially fund the acquisition of 6 Quint Avenue for the creation of supportive affordable housing. A 15 unit moderate rehab that will create updated single room occupancy (SRO) units for individuals.

Citywide

$5,000,000 to fund the ONE+Boston First-Time Homebuyer Program. The program combines a discounted interest rate on the ONE mortgage with enhanced down payment/closing cost assistance from the Boston Home Center, to provide additional buying power to low- and moderate-income Boston residents earning at or below 100 percent AMI.

$5,000,000 to fund the Acquisition Opportunity Program (AOP), an anti-displacement program by providing funding to responsible developers to acquire occupied market-rate rental units and convert them to deed-restricted housing for low-and moderate-income Bostonians.

Fenway

$1,000,000 to partially fund the acquisition and new construction of 72 Burbank Street to create affordable housing. When complete, the 27-unit infill development will have one hundred percent of units affordable to households earning 60 percent AMI or below, and the apartments will remain affordable in perpetuity.

Hyde Park

$2,000,000 to fund the creation of 75 affordable housing units. Converting the vacant William Barton Rogers School into a vibrant, inclusive, mixed-income, LGBTQ-friendly, senior housing development.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Back Bay

$150,000 to preserve elements of the historic 1873 building of the Old South Church tower to make extraordinary repairs to critically failed masonry.

$200,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1861 Arlington Street Church to make critical improvements to the exterior north and south stairs.

$250,000 to preserve the elements of the historic 1872 First Baptist Church building for masonry and carpentry repairs to the loggia roof, west transept elevation, and belfry level of the tower.

$30,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1899 Ayer Mansion to restore damaged and missing elements of the inset door columns and copper-clad doors.

$100,000 to preserve elements of the historic 1884 Guild of Boston Artists building to repair and repoint brick and limestone masonry, replace flashing, and restore and rehabilitate character-defining exterior architectural features.

Beacon Hill

$50,000 to preserve the historic 1808 Prescott House building to restore and rehabilitate the cornice, pilasters, balcony, and fourth floor facade elements.

Citywide

$100,000 to fund the preservation of threatened indigenous and historic archaeological sites on the Boston Harbor Islands by mitigating their loss through enhanced planning, monitoring and site stabilization.

Chinatown

$250,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1854 St. James the Greater Church building for masonry and related repairs to the exterior of the building.

$100,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 19th century Chinatown Row Houses for structural repairs of the façade, entrance and exterior stairway at the 95 Hudson Streetand exterior masonry restoration at 29 Oak Street.

Dorchester

$77,200 to preserve the 1720 Lemuel Clap and 1806 William Clapp Houses to make capital improvements to the property, including masonry and related repairs of damaged foundations at both houses, stabilization of the William Clapp House chimney, repairs to the collections storage structure, and restoration and repair of exterior trim and fencing.

$378,969 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1941Pleasant Hill Baptist Church building by making capital improvements and repairs to the steeple and entrance stair, character-defining exterior architectural features and fencing.

$100,000 to preserve the historic 1889 Global Ministries Christian Church building to make critical repairs to exterior elements including damaged trim, sheathing and roofing.

$250,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1806 Second Church for repairs to character-defining architectural elements of the steeple.

$56,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic “Walter Baker” illuminated sign on the 1919 Administration Building to restore the structure and lighting elements.

$321,500 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1922 Greater Love Tabernacle Church building to make capital improvements and repairs, including design and reconstruction of the entrance stairs and repairing failed masonry at the chimney and parapet.

$250,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1910 Pierce Building for capital and accessibility improvements to the building’s exterior envelope.

$488,000 for rehabilitation and restoration repairs to The Great Hall at Codman Square’s historic 1904 building to make repairs to character-defining exterior architectural elements.

Downtown

$100,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic Schooner Roseway vessel at World Ocean School.

East Boston

$40,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the 1903 Byron Street wall of the historic Ohabei Shalom Cemetery, including site work, resetting and repointing of failed masonry.

Hyde Park

$150,000 for rehabilitation and restoration to the historic 1899 Riverside Theater to make critical repairs to the foundation and façade.

Jamaica Plain

$90,000 to preserve the historic 1760 Loring Greenough House for critical repairs to the structure, including to the historic fabric of the exterior walls.

$250,000 for the rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1919 Bethel AME Church building, making repairs and capital improvements to the masonry facade and entrance.

$150,000 to preserve the historic 1882 St. John’s Episcopal Church building, making selective repairs to the masonry of the tower and elements of the south and east elevations.

$100,000 to preserve the historic 1856 First Baptist Church building by making repairs to stucco cladding in areas of critical loss of the exterior envelope.

Mattapan

$200,000 for rehabilitation and restoration to the historic 1928 Berea Seventh-day Adventist Academy building for roof repairs and stabilization of urgent water infiltration locations at the exterior.

North End

$75,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 18th-century Shaw House for access and egress improvements to the exterior.

$100,000 to conserve and reset displaced and fallen gravestones in the historic Copp’s Hill Burying Ground.

Roxbury

$141,900 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1915 Haley House Bakery Cafe Building for masonry repairs to the exterior.

$200,000 to the historic 1901 St. Luke’s Chapel building for carpentry and masonry repairs to the roof structure.

South Boston

$150,000 to preserve the historic 1881 Congress Street Fire Museum building by making repairs and capital improvements to its failed floor structure.

South End

$400,000 for rehabilitation and restoration of the historic 1857 League of Women for Community Service building for stabilization repairs to the masonry facade at 558 Massachusetts Avenue.

$200,000 to fund the preservation of the complex of historic 1880s and 1908 St. Augustine and St. Martin buildings including selective repairs to the roofing of the complex and selective masonry repairs to 29 Lenox Street and 23 Willard Place.

West End

$50,000 to fund preservation of the historic 1793 building for exterior wall restoration of the (First) Harrison Gray Otis House’s courtyard elevations.

West End

$50,000 for the preservation to the 1806 Old West Church to make repairs to the structure, including character-defining exterior architectural elements.

OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION

Allston-Brighton

$300,000 for the design and preservation of the Chandler Pond shoreline.

Bay Village

$250,000 for the capital improvements to Statler Park, memorial construction and memorial to commemorate the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942.

Beacon Hill

$14,241 to plant 45 trees on the Charles River Esplanade to improve tree canopy in the City of Boston.

Boston Harbor Islands

$125,000 for the construction of a new outdoor permanent pavilion, including site preparation, utilities and lighting at Georges Island Pavilion.

Charlestown

$112,207 for a community-driven design to rehabilitate the Little Mystic Channel Park and capital improvements to the Sprouts community garden, including picnic tables, benches, trees, and pavilion.

$500,000 for design and capital improvements, including site preparation, paving, lighting, built features, furnishings, and water access to the Charlestown Peace Park.

Chinatown

$250,000 to add six pole top lighting fixtures, new catenary light fixtures, installation of fixtures and capital improvements to Chin Park.

Citywide

$1,000,000 to fund the Boston Open Space Acquisition Fund for acquisition of real property interests in open space or lands for recreational use. The open spaces acquired through the fund will be permanently protected and publicly accessible.

Dorchester

$25,000 to resurface an actively used playground to provide quality and healthy outdoor space at Dudley Village.

$150,000 for the design and construction of a distressed lot to create a commercial and community urban farm at Westville Urban Farm.

$100,000 for water and utility installation, site improvements, and furnishings to transform vacant land into an urban food forest at Olmec 2 – Aspinwall Food Forest.

$50,000 for the removal of unhealthy trees and planting of new trees in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

$150,000 to fund the design and construction of a new performance stage for community events, permanent sculptural seating, granite blocks, and grading for lawn mounds to rehabilitate active recreational space at Codman Square Park.

$700,000 for site improvements to an under-maintained 31,000 sq ft parcel to preserve land and create an urban forest for active recreational use at the Washington Street Urban Forest.

East Boston

$50,000 to fund the design and water installation in the City Water at 6 Chelsea Terrace urban community garden for successful crop growth to make recreational land more functional for the intended use.

Fenway

$40,000 to fund the design and capital improvement costs associated with the installation of a permanent low-cost, community-accessible activated-charcoal water filtration boom system to help clear deadly pollutants from the Muddy River.

Hyde Park

$200,000 to fund the rehabilitation of Moynihan Playground, including design and construction of site improvements.

$300,000 to fund infrastructure improvements, site preparations, path improvements, and furnishings to rehabilitate Factory Hill Park.

$12,507 to fund the design and installation of an irrigation system along the community walking path to ensure growth of plants and small trees at We Grow Microgreens.

Jamaica Plain

$300,000 to fund capital improvements at the Jackson Square Redevelopment Initiative Greenway to create new outdoor active and passive recreational space, including the installation of utilities, lighting and paving.

Mattapan

$100,000 to fund the site work to redesign, expand, and rehabilitate the multi-purpose recreational space behind the Brooke Charter School and Lena Park Community Center for active use.

$100,000 for water and utility installation, site improvements, and furnishings to transform a vacant land into an urban food forest at Olmec 1 – Morton St. Food Forest.

Roxbury

$400,000 to fund the design and construction, and infrastructure improvements to create a new Frederick Douglass Plaza and greenspace in the Lower Roxbury neighborhood.

$180,000 to renovate the Winthrop Community Garden to improve visitor experience, visitation and program participation.

$200,000 to fund the creation of an arts park and greenspace to serve the new Bartlett Yard affordable housing community, local artists and Roxbury residents Oasis@Bartlett.

South Boston

$75,000 to fund the design and construction of interpretive signs to celebrate the history and environment of this location. The interpretive signs will be placed along the Harborwalk at Castle Island and Pleasure Bay in South Boston.

South End

$250,000 to fund phase one of site improvements and hardscape construction to create a plaza/parkspace to honor Allan Rohan Crite, an internationally acclaimed African American artist.

West Roxbury

$350,000 for Cammarata Little League Complex renovation to fund site demolition and construction of a new little league field that will host cross-neighborhood tournament games within the City of Boston.

For more information about the Community Preservation Act, visit here. To learn more about the process of applying for Community Preservation Act funding, visit the CPA’s How to Apply Page. The CPA Program is now accepting Eligibility Forms for the next funding round. With any questions about the CPA Program, please email here.