Columbia Crossing
Update
03/20/23
Financing Secured for Approved Columbia Crossing in Dorchester
Mayor Michelle Wu announced the City of Boston’s support for Columbia Crossing, an Upham’s Corner development that proposes to transform the historic Dorchester Savings Bank building and adjacent parking lot into an approximately 86,000 square foot mixed-use, mixed-income residential, commercial, and retail complex.
The project, which will be developed by the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) in partnership with the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC), a nonprofit MBE based in Upham’s Corner, will consist of new construction of a six-story building addition to the back of the existing Dorchester Savings Bank as well as adaptive reuse of the bank building.
Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI), an affiliate of Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), a local community land trust, is the landowner and will remain the ground lease holder of the land the project is built on. DNI selected the POAH-DBEDC team through a competitive, community-driven RFP process. Predevelopment funds are being loaned by The Life Initiative.
The new construction and bank building rehabilitation will contain up to 48 units of income-restricted affordable rental housing, designated between 30% and 80% Area Median Income. Approximately 20% of the units will be reserved for artists under the City of Boston’s Artist Housing Certification program, and there will be 2,000 square feet of arts amenity space for resident use.
The development will also include 4,500 square feet of commercial space, with a preference for community-centered arts and innovation entities in furtherance of Upham’s Corner as an Arts & Innovation District. The rehabilitation of the bank building will include the creation of a premier display space referred to as the Glow Box, which can be converted to an indoor-outdoor space.
The building design will include an all-electric heating and cooling system and will incorporate Passive House standards in support of Boston’s resiliency, sustainability, and carbon neutral 2050 goals. Stull & Lee, Inc. and Moody Nolan have partnered on the architecture.
“POAH is proud to partner with Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, DSNI, and the Upham’s Corner Community on this outstanding opportunity to create new, affordable rental housing in the neighborhood and advance the goals of the Upham’s Arts & Cultural District,” said POAH President and CEO Aaron Gornstein.
“I am truly happy that the City has provided funding for this project that helps give Dorchester Bay and POAH the ability to move forward in developing one of the first new buildings central to the emerging Upham’s Corner Arts and Innovation District,” said John Smith, Executive Director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative.
“This vibrant, mixed-use, mixed-income, and transit-oriented development will preserve and adaptively reuse the historic Dorchester Savings Bank building,” said DBEDC CEO Kimberly R. Lyle. “It will serve as a catalyst for future investment and development in the Upham’s Corner neighborhood, and provide critically-needed affordable rental housing.”
