Housing Headlines

QUINCY --- The Watson, a 140-unit Quincy Point apartment building set to open this fall, has attracted over 950 applications for the 114 affordable apartments, with a lottery set to be held soon as to which of the 389 income-eligible applicants will get to move in.

MILTON --- Despite revising its plan to include more office space and reduce the number of apartments from 64 to 58, town elected officials are still voicing concern about the impact of Falconi Cos. proposed development for East Milton Square. The developer is hoping to propose zoning changes at a special town meeting next year, but also has the option of bypassing town zoning by seeking a Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permit.

BOSTON --- Chinatown’s housing crisis will see some relief, after the Boston Planning and Development Agency board approved 536 units of housing at its July 12 meeting. Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England (CCBA) president Paul Chan said, “The work has just begun for CCBA. Let’s keep ploughing ahead, for our community and for those in need.”

YARMOUTH --- Some neighbors along Route 28 are happy that the former Cavalier Motel site is being turned into housing, citing the need for affordable housing, the possibility that property values will go up and the fact that developer Dakota Partners listened to neighborhood concerns. Dakota is in the process of transforming the South Yarmouth site into 120 apartments and is expected to complete the development in the last half of 2019. MHP has committed $3.9M in long-term financing for this development.

SCITUATE --- Toll Brothers has all the permits it needs to build 142 market-rate, age-restricted condominiums on 50 acres in the town's Egypt neighborhood. As part of an agreement with the town, Toll Brothers will build a new athletic field at the Wampatuck Elementary School and a $200,000 grant that can be used at the town's discretion.

BOSTON --- Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh were on hand on July 24 for the grand opening of The Beverly. Developed by Related Beal and financed through MassHousing's Workforce Housing Initiative, the 14-story, 239-unit mixed-income development near North Station was built on an underutilized state property. "We put hundreds of parcels of state property back into productive use," said Governor Baker. "And I can't tell you the satisfaction we get out of seeing what was previously vacant land become productive and important in neighborhoods and communities around the commonwealth." Later in the week, Banker & Tradesman reported there were 6,000 applications for the 239 income-restricted units.