A state agency has sold a 10-acre parcel of land on the former Mattapan State Hospital property to a development team that plans to build 287 new housing units— the large majority deemed affordable— on the site, known as Olmsted Village. Construction is expected to begin early next year.
The state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) conveyed the land to Lena New Boston II and 2Life Development Inc. for a reported $6.75 million. The deal is part of the State Land for Homes initiative, which fast-tracks housing development on surplus state-owned land.
“This closing is an important milestone, initiating redevelopment of one of the final parcels of this 175-acre campus,” said Gov. Healey. “The new homes that will be built on this site, alongside amenities such as childcare and community centers, will provide a great place for seniors and young people alike to build their futures.”
The Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) has been in the works for a couple of years with planning, permitting, and design phases now completed.
Olmsted Village will consist of three components:
•Brooke House: a 6-story building with 127 units of affordable rental senior housing as well as a community center, medical suite, and childcare center on the ground floor.
•Treehouse: a 4-story building with 66 affordable intergenerational units of housing, designed to facilitate mentorship and support between seniors and youth.
- 94 mixed-income homeownership units.
In addition to the new homes, the development team is contributing to the Boston State Community Trust Fund. Other amenities of the development include an intermodal pathway to connect the community from Harvard Street to the Boston Nature Center, a 14-person shuttle van for residents, two community centers, and a childcare facility.
“This land purchase represents a tremendous milestone in creating Olmsted Village, a hub of community benefits including housing that is deeply affordable for seniors and families, community-based childcare and healthcare, and local wealth generation through mixed income home ownership and job creation,” said Lizbeth Heyer, President of 2Life Communities and Jerry Rappaport of the New Boston Fund.
“It takes tremendous vision and commitment for complex projects like this to move from vision to reality,” they said.
