$15 Million Project Adds Family Housing, 3,500 SF of Commercial Space in Dorchester
Nauset Construction and the Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAID) joined Boston Mayor Marty Walsh for a ribbon cutting ceremony this week, celebrating the completion of the Upper Washington apartments community. The 48,000 square-foot mixed-use project provides 35 units of much-needed affordable family housing in Dorchester’s Four Corners neighborhood, along with over 3,500 square feet of commercial space.
The ceremony was well attended by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, many community partners, project lenders, local, city and state dignitaries as well as representatives of architectural firm Utile, Inc., which designed the mixed-use community and Trinity Management, LLC, the property manager.
“I am proud that the City of Boston’s commitment to this project helped create 35 new homes — homes that will help ensure that the people who help make this neighborhood the thriving, vibrant place it is will be able to stay in their community,” said Mayor Walsh. “Boston is lucky to have this exemplary team of builders, designers, and partners who worked so closely together to create more affordable housing for working people in Dorchester.”
The completed project transforms nine city lots and one private lot into one three-story, 16,000 square foot structure located at 331-337 Washington Street, and one four-story, 31,775-square foot building at 322-336 Washington Street. Both buildings feature first floor commercial and community space totaling approximately 3,600 square feet, which are now occupied by the offices of Four Corners Main Streets, and 4 Corners Yoga + Wellness.
The buildings are comprised of wood-framed construction above a structural steel frame on the first floor. The unit mix includes 4 one-bedroom residences, 21 two-bedroom residences, and 10 three- bedroom residences, with nine of the units occupied by formerly homeless families.
Amenities include a gym, community room, laundry facilities in both buildings, a playground and 25 parking spaces.
The project is certifiable under LEED Silver, incorporating many sustainable elements including high-performance insulation, energy efficient MEP systems and reclaimed materials from the demolition of an existing structure on the property.
“Upper Washington aligns well with our extensive multi-unit residential and mixed-use experience with sustainable, tight urban infill developments.” said Nauset Construction President Anthony Papantonis. “And we are proud to be part of the team that is helping the City of Boston achieve its affordable housing initiatives.”
About Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (Viet-AID)
The Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAID) was founded in 1994 to provide comprehensive economic development programs and services to alleviate poverty and advance civic participation in the Vietnamese American community of Dorchester, Boston. Since then, VietAID's mission and goals have broadened to focus on building strong and vibrant neighborhoods throughout Dorchester by promoting civic engagement and community building; developing affordable housing and commercial space; providing small business technical assistance and micro-enterprise development; offering high quality child care services and after school programs; and developing community youth leadership.
About Nauset Construction
Nauset Construction is a construction management and design-build firm run by industry veterans with a shared goal of providing an unparalleled positive client experience. Nauset excels at complex projects on challenging sites with aggressive time and budget requirements - often in sensitive, occupied and operational environments. Proactive decisions are made based on years of proven experience while orchestrating project-team cooperation and collaboration to inherent unforeseen challenges. Taking a collaborative approach throughout the project cycle, Nauset provides creative ideas and alternative methods that reduce cost and increase value to its clients, while creating lasting relationships. More information can be found at: www.nauset.com.
