Housing Headlines

BRIGHTON --- The Sebastian Mariscal Studio recently filed a proposal with the city to construct a new, five-story apartment building with ground-floor retail space at the corner of North Beacon and Everett streets. The building would contain 44 units with nine studios, 15 one-bedroom units, 17 two-bedroom units and three three-bedroom units. Six of the 44 units will be designated as affordable. The developer hopes to start construction in early 2014.

SOUTHBOROUGH --- Developer William Depietri has told the town of his plan to build 180 condominiums, a quarter of which would be affordable under income guidelines, near the Red Roof Inn off Rte. 9 near the junction of Rte. 495. In a letter to the town, Depietri said he would by asking the town to grant him a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit to build The Residences at Park Centra, which would consist of 120 two-bedroom and 60 one-bedroom condos in five buildings.

SUNDERLAND --- The state's Supreme Judicial Court has has OK'd a Chapter 40B permit, allowing developers Paul D. Boudreau of South Hadley and Gerard N. Aubrey of Holyoke to proceed with Sugarbush Meadow, a 150-unit apartment building they first brought before the town back in 2006.

MARLBOROUGH --- Back in December, the city's Zoning Board of Appeals OK'd by a 3-2 vote a controversial Ch. 40B rental housing development. The project, dubbed Brookview Village and proposed by the Gutierrez Co. will bring in 225 units to a parcel on Ames Street off Rte. 20 on the western side of the city. The city council voted to oppose the plan this summer but other city officials like Mayor Arthur Vigeant have supported the project, saying it will provide much-needed housing opportunities for employees at nearby companies and others that plan to move to the city like TJX Companies and Boston Scientific.

DORCHESTER --- The Boston Redevelopment Authority has approved Synergy Investment's proposal to build a $60 million, 278-unit rental housing development at 25 Morrissey Boulevard, which is near the JFK/UMass MBTA station. Synergy president David Greaney intends to eventually expand his development into the adjacent Shaw's supermarket and Greater Media properties that he owns, with a "main street" cutting through rows of new buildings between Morrissey Boulevard and I-93. For more background information and a graphic illustration of the project's location, go here: http://www.dotnews.com/2012/synergy-chief-278-unit-complex-vote-confidence-dot.

AMHERST --- Hartford-based Toby Cohn Family Investments - longtime owners of the 85-unit Presidential apartments - is seeking a special permit to add 12 one-bedroom and 42 two-bedroom apartments to their property.