BOSTON — The City of Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu have funded an undisclosed amount of funding for Columbia Crossing in the Dorchester neighborhood. The proposed development plans to transform the historic Dorchester Savings Bank building and adjacent parking lot into an approximately 86,000-square-foot residential and commercial complex.
The project will be developed by the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) in partnership with the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC). Plans include the adaptive reuse of the bank building into affordable rental housing and the construction of a six-story building at the back of the existing structure.
Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI), an affiliate of Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), a local community land trust, selected the POAH-DBEDC team through a request for proposal (RFP) process. Predevelopment funds are being loaned by The Life Initiative.
The new construction and bank building rehabilitation will contain up to 48 units of income-restricted affordable rental housing, designated between 30 percent and 80 percent area median income (AMI). Approximately 20 percent of the units will be reserved for artists under the City of Boston’s Artist Housing Certification program, and there will be 2,000 square feet of arts amenity space for resident use. The development will also include 4,500 square feet of commercial space, with a preference for community-centered arts and innovation entities.