BOSTON — A partnership between regional multifamily owner-operator WinnCos. and the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) has begun work on a $70 million affordable housing project in South Boston. The 94-unit building, which carries a price tag of $62 million, will be constructed as part of the initial phase of the redevelopment of the 1,016-unit Mary Ellen McCormack public housing development, which originally opened in 1938. The partnership plans to invest another $8 million in infrastructure upgrades.
Units at the new building will primarily come in one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Bank of America provided the construction loan for Building A and is also the tax credit equity investor on the project. Once Building A is completed in late 2026, construction will begin on Building B, which will offer 300 mixed-income apartments, and Building C, which will offer 196 mixed-income apartments, with 172 units reserved for seniors aged 62 or older.
In all, eight new residential buildings totaling 1,310 units will be built over the course of a decade during Phase I of the redevelopment, replacing 529 aging public housing apartments for BHA households and creating 781 additional apartments for middle-income and market-rate renters. Existing buildings will be demolished to allow residents to move directly into new apartments. In addition, 33,000 square feet of retail space will be developed as part of Phase I.
The Architectural Team is leading design of the project, with Lee Kennedy Co. serving as general contractor. The full plan for the redevelopment of Mary Ellen McCormack calls for 3,300 new units and 70,000 square feet of retail space, as well as a new community center, to be delivered over two decades.