Boston – Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, joined by Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Secretary Ed Augustus, Representative Chynah Tyler, developer Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), and partner Nuestra Comunidad, celebrated the grand opening of The Kenzi at Bartlett Station: 50 supportive, sustainable, transit-oriented affordable apartments for older adults in Nubian Square.
“I am proud of the City of Boston’s and our partners’ commitment to redevelop Bartlett Station, which has resulted in the creation of 50 new affordable apartments for older Bostonians on this campus,” said Wu. “Housing is a fundamental human right, especially for our older residents. Everyone in Boston deserves a beautiful, safe place to call home, and that’s what the residents of this new building have here at The Kenzi.”
The 57,576sf development includes 41 affordable one-bedroom units, three affordable two-bedroom units, and six market-rate two-bedroom units. The Kenzi will serve seniors with a variety of income levels, with the majority of apartments designated for individuals with maximum incomes of 60% or less of the area median income ($62,340 for one-person households) and a significant number for those with maximum incomes of 30% or less of area median income ($31,150 for one-person households). The development also includes five units of housing for formerly homeless Bostonians.
The larger Nubian Square site is being redeveloped by Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation and Windale Developers, Inc. and will ultimately create approximately 383 new homes for working families, including 166 homes for purchase, 217 rental apartments, and 30,000sf of commercial space.
“The Kenzi at Bartlett Station is not just a testament to affordability but also to sustainability, boasting environmentally friendly design features that meet LEED Homes Silver certifiable standards and EPA’s Energy Star standards with a rooftop solar array and the first city permitted Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for emergency power in a building over four stories,” said POAH president and CEO, Aaron Gornstein. “It also represents innovation in housing and health through a partnership with Boston Medical Center that resulted in $500,000 in Accelerating Investments for Health Communities funding and additional support health services to residents through an on-site center.”
The development of The Kenzi at Bartlett Station was made possible through funding from various government and private entities, including the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Housing, EOHLC, MassHousing, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), Bank of America and Boston Medical Center.
