City of Boston Celebrates Grand Opening of 250 Centre Street

Housing Chief Sheila Dillon joined the Jamaica Plain Development Corporation (JPNDC), The Community Builders, Incorporated (TCB), The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, local elected officials, and residents today to commemorate the Grand Opening of 250 Centre Street, a new mixed-income rental development with first floor retail space tailored to the neighborhood. The new building contains 110 apartments, including 76 income-restricted affordable housing units and 34 unrestricted market-rate rental units.

This new transit-oriented development created by The Community Builders and JPNDC adds 110 new homes to the city's housing portfolio. The new apartment building has housing in a range of sizes to meet the needs of the community. It includes 7 studio units, 69 one-bedroom units, 30 two-bedroom units, and 4 three-bedroom units. Of the 110 residences, 34 apartments will be affordable to households earning up to 120 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), 20 apartments will be designated for households earning up to 100 percent of AMI, 41 apartments will be accessible to households earning up to 60 percent of AMI, and 15 apartments will provide affordable housing for those earning less than 30 percent of AMI.

"We’re thrilled to bring housing that working families can afford to Boston’s Jackson Square,” said Andy Waxman, TCB New England vice president of development. “Our development team is proud to open the doors at 250 Centre. This mixed-income, mixed-use development is contributing to Jackson Square’s ongoing revitalization with thoughtful design and numerous amenities that serve individuals and families looking to stay in Boston. On behalf of The Community Builders, I extend my deepest thanks and well-earned congratulations to the many partners, stakeholders and neighbors who made this development possible. And for the arriving residents and entrepreneurs at 250 Centre, welcome home.”

"At 250 Centre, I feel like I am finally home. I love the amenities and community spaces, and that I have laundry in my apartment. And I am so excited about the 6th floor terrace, right above us, with the beautiful city view,” said Esther Belliard, resident of 250 Centre who spoke at the event. “To everyone at the Community Builders, the City and the state who helped make 250 Centre possible, thank you for my new home.”

The development of 250 Centre Street is made possible in part with financing provided to TCB under the federal and state low income housing tax credit.  Other key financial participants include City of Boston Mayor's Office of Housing, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing Finance Agency, Santander Bank, Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, Eastern Bank, Clocktower Tax Credits, Boston Children’s Hospital and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Shawmut Design and Construction led construction of 250 Centre with design by ICON Architecture.

"The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities is proud to have worked with The Community Builders, the City of Boston and MassHousing on this latest development in the Jackson Square Action Plan," said Ed Augustus, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. "Where once the Southwest Expressway threatened to destroy neighborhoods and divide a city, a thriving community now exists. As we battle a housing crisis fueled by limited supply, the 110 new apartments we celebrate here today at 250 Centre are a victory as we continue the work to beat back rising housing costs. And the 76 affordable income-restricted units ensure that this remains a community affordable to all. Every door opened to a person or family here is a door opened to opportunity."

The new building is in proximity to shopping centers and cultural and outdoor amenities. 250 Centre Street also offers residents access to the Jackson Square community which has a lively nightlife, diverse culinary options and boutique shopping. The development is located near MBTA Orange Line stations, MBTA bus stops, and the Southwest Corridor bike path. Amenities within the building include an elevator for enhanced accessibility, central air conditioning, a spacious community area on the first floor for programming, a 24-hour fitness facility, and a courtyard with green space and a grilling area for community enjoyment. Each unit has a dishwasher, washing machine and dryer.

“The completion of 250 Centre Street is another major milestone in the community-driven redevelopment of Jackson Square, and MassHousing is proud to join our public and private-sector partners in advancing the community’s vision for a lively and inclusive Jackson Square,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay.

The new building is part of the Jackson Square Redevelopment Initiative (JSRI), a collaborative venture involving The Community Builders (TCB), Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC), Urban Edge, and the City of Boston. JSRI's mission to revitalize over 8 acres of vacant land and create more than 300 units of affordable housing in the Jackson Square neighborhood has been significantly advanced by the completion of 250 Centre Street. This project marks the fifth completion under the Jackson Square Master Plan and stands adjacent to 25 Amory, a 44-unit affordable rental housing project also developed by the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation.

The new 250 Centre Street development embraced Mayor Wu’s commitment to the principles of smart growth and transit-oriented development in Boston. In the fiscal year 2023, the Mayor allocated substantial resources to address housing challenges in the city. A substantial portion of the $200 million committed from ARPA funds has been designated for diverse housing initiatives, including affordable homeownership development, strategic acquisitions to combat displacement, energy retrofits for multifamily homes, permanent supportive housing with specialized services, and upgrades to Boston Housing Authority properties.

Mayor Wu’s housing security legislative package is focused on expanding upon the work that Boston has done to address the region's affordable housing crisis and displacement risks for tenants by proposing new and strengthening current tools to leverage Boston's prosperity and create sustainable wealth opportunities that make Boston a more inclusive and equitable city. The housing security bills submitted seek to help tenants, particularly the elderly, remain in their homes, and create additional funding for affordable housing developments like the new homes at 250 Centre Street.

About the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH)

The Mayor’s Office of Housing is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, creating and preserving affordable housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can obtain, maintain, and remain in safe, stable housing. The department develops and implements the City of Boston’s housing creation and homelessness prevention plans and collaborates with local and national partners to find new solutions and build more housing affordable to all, particularly those with lower incomes. For more information, please visit the MOH website.