BPDA approves proposal for apartments at 780 Morrissey Blvd

A rendering of the approved apartment complex planned for 780 Morrissey Blvd. Image courtesy C3 Architects

During their virtual board meeting last night, the Boston Planning and Development Agency approved a proposal to transform the former Phillips Old Colony House, a landmark Morrissey Boulevard dining and function facility that shut its doors in 2017, into a 219-unit apartment complex with a roof deck, dog spa, and 136 parking spaces.

Michaels Development, a New Jersey-based company that has recently sited residential buildings in Cambridge and Brighton, will construct a 179,435 square-foot building, with two portions of at five and six-stories in height.

The project will include 29 income-restricted units, in compliance with the city’s Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP), and more than 14,000 square-feet of open space. The units will contain a mix of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units.

The acre-and-a-half site at 780 Morrissey Blvd., once home to the popular Phillips Old Colony House and Freeport Tavern, is now being used by a neighboring car dealership as a storage area for its vehicles. The parcel is owned by Phillips Family Properties, which also controls Boston Bowl, Phillips Candy House, Ramada Inn, and Comfort Inn among its Dorchester holdings.

The project goals are in step with Climate Ready Dorchester, including raised residential entrances to mitigate the impact of sea level rise. The project was aired to the community virtually in the fall and summer, and was reviewed by the Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC.)


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