SOBO Place

SOBO Place Issued Building Permit

The upcoming development known as SOBO Place at 55 West Fifth Street in South Boston has been issued a building permit.

The approved six-story mixed-use building featuring 50 apartment residences and approximately 1,485 square feet of ground-floor retail space is located steps from the Broadway MBTA Red Line station.

The building would include seven affordable and two middle-income apartments, with amenities including a common roof deck with grills. An underground parking garage would contain 44 vehicle spaces.

The approved SOBO Place building would be six stories tall and 45,757 square feet in size, replacing a building program approved in Summer 2016, but not built, five stories tall and 34,696 square feet in size containing 32 apartments and 2,053 square feet of ground-floor retail. Located at the corner of B and West Fifth Streets, SOBO Place would replace an existing automotive repair shop.

55 West Fifth Street to bring 18 residential units, five IDP units, and below-market rent for a local retailer to South Boston

As originally approved at the August 2016 Board meeting, this project consisted of the demolition of an existing building and the construction of a five-story, mixed-use building with 32 residential rental units and four affordable units. In February of this year, a Notice of Project Change (NPC) was submitted for the project and proposed the following: (1) An increase in the building height from 50 feet to 60 feet, (2) The addition of 18 residential units, bringing the total to 50 (3) The addition of five income-restricted units, bringing the total to nine (4) The addition of approximately seven off-street parking spaces, bringing the total to 43, (5) An increase of approximately 11,057 square feet of gross floor area, (6) A reduction of approximately 453 square feet to the ground floor retail space, bringing the total to approximately 1,600 square feet of retail/commercial space.  

The approximately 1,600 square feet of retail/commercial space will be offered at below market-rate rent. The proposed changes to the Originally Approved Project are consistent with the vision and guidelines of PLAN: South Boston Dorchester Avenue.

As a result of these changes, the proposed development will consist of the construction of a six-story, 45,757 square foot mixed-use building that will include 50 residential rental units, including nine income restricted units, approximately 43 parking spaces, and approximately 1,600 square feet of ground floor retail/commercial space.

“SOBO Place” developer proposes larger building following upzoning of South Boston’s Dorchester Avenue corridor

Following the City of Boston’s recent upzoning of South Boston’s Dorchester Avenue corridor, Boston Real Estate Capital (BREC) proposes to increase the size of its’ approved “SOBO Place” apartment development at 55 West Fifth Street. BREC now proposes to construct 50 apartments in a building six stories and 59.5 feet high, as opposed to the project program approved in Summer 2016 prior to the upzoning featuring 32 apartments in a building five stories and 50 feet high; the approved building program was not built.

The new proposal would represent a 56% increase in apartments, in a building 32% larger than previously approved (45,757 square feet as opposed to 34,696). BREC’s proposal follows the approval of Evergreen Property Group’s nearby eight-story boutique hotel at 248 Dorchester Avenue, replacing a previously approved six-story residential building. BREC has filed a Notice of Project Change (NPC) formally proposing the larger project with the City of Boston, who is now reviewing the proposal.

New mixed-use building proposed for corner of B and West Fifth streets in South Boston

Boston Real Estate Capital, a developer of the recently completed City Point condominiums at 881-883 East Second Street in South Boston, proposes to construct a new South Boston development project. The proposed project, SOBO Place, would consist of 36 residential units and 2,045 square feet of ground-floor retail. SOBO Place would be located near Broadway Station on a 10,000 square foot lot at the corner of B and West Fifth streets. The lot is currently used for automobile repair.