A single-family home with a first-floor cafe currently sits on the site. It is owned and occupied by an African American family that has lived in the building for over 30 years and have been active community members.
The proposed project consists of a 7 story, 40-unit multifamily building with a corner cafe. It envisions a vibrant community providing affordability for young professionals, families, and senior members of the community that need smaller spaces well connected to the city center. It also proposes sidewalk expansion and public realm improvement, which will include more green space, outdoor seating, visitor bike storage, and accessible ramps. In addition, the project will be a highly energy-efficient building following the Passive House design guideline and will utilize Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) as the primary structural material.
As the development manager, West Work provided thorough analysis on massing, program mix, and its implications on the financial performance of the building to identify the highest and best use of the site. Through an extensive community engagement process, the project garnered support from the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), community groups, as well as the abutters. It is planned to start construction in Q3 2024.
1 Elmwood Street was selected as one of the three winners of the 2023 USDA Wood Innovation Grant in Massachusetts for its intended use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). The grant will support the remaining architecture and engineering scope of the project.