34 East Springfield
Developer: MPZ Development, LLC
Total Units: 5
Construction Start Date: Summer 2022
34 East Springfield Street is a five-unit public housing development in the South End neighborhood of Boston. The three-and-one-half-story attached brick row house was constructed ca. 1865 in the Italianate architectural style. It has a garden level and fronts immediately onto the sidewalk within the vibrant and architecturally important Worcester Square Neighborhood. The historic building is also within the boundaries of the South End Landmarks District.
The building has been part of the BHA portfolio for a number of years, but has suffered from neglect as a result of more than a decade of vacancy. The project goal is to redevelop the long-vacant building and to preserve the affordable housing, which will provide necessary and quality housing options in an expensive neighborhood.
In December 2019, BHA issued a Request for Proposals for developer services for the disposition and redevelopment of 34 East Springfield Street. In February 2020, BHA designated MPZ Development, LLC (MPZ) as the developer for the project. The locally-based developer has significant experience working on smaller scale, mixed-income, multi-family, and mixed-use residential developments across Massachusetts, including affordable housing projects in the Boston area.
34 East Springfield will be financed through a combination of several subsidy sources. The Boston Housing Authority and the City of Boston have contributed funding to this important housing endeavor. Additionally, both the state and federal historic tax credit programs are being leveraged to finance the redevelopment of the historic building. In 2022, the Project was awarded five project-based vouchers through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. This necessary program will ensure that 34 East Springfield becomes home to veterans experiencing homelessness. MPZ will work with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which will provide residents with case management and clinical services.
The construction period, estimated to last just over 12 months, is anticipated to end in the fall of 2023. When completed, 34 East Springfield will consist of five, one-bedroom rental apartments, one of which will be accessible. These units will range in size from approximately 625 SF to 760 SF. Apartments will be reserved for eligible residents who qualify for the VASH program and make up to 50% of the area median income (AMI).