When one considers the West Roxbury neighborhood, transit-oriented and easily accessible are probably among of the last two descriptions that come to mind. But a new housing proposal not only aims to create a new community within the neighborhood, but do it in a sustainable fashion that’s about a 20 minute walk from the MBTA Orange Line.
In mid-July, Wonder Group LLC filed a project notification form with the Boston Redevelopment Authority to build the city’s “first entirely net-zero neighborhood” at 64 Allandale Street. The development consists of 16 townhouses erected in clusters of five as well as four units to be built in the home currently residing on the two acre site, totaling 44,481-square feet.
The townhouses will be constructed using a LEED Platinum design for net-zero energy usage and employ FORTIFIED standards to ensure climate resilience.
Each will be about 1,600- to 2,400-square feet over 3.5 or 4.5 stories, boast three bedrooms and come with an internal garage. Additional parking will be provided in 40 street spaces for residents with an additional seven for guests.
For 64 Allandale, energy conservation, low energy consumption, clean energy generation and small utility costs are paramount.
Because of its location, a more wooded area but also in close proximity to Faulkner Hospital and Spaulding Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a private drive will serve 64 Allandale and canopy trees will be grown around the development for increased privacy. Natural vegetation, too, will be grown to provide both ecological and drainage benefits.
But residents will also have access to recreational trails that crisscross the locale through the likes of the surrounding Allandale Woods, the nearby Arnold Arboretum, and other sections of the Emerald Necklace.
“The project team will follow a proven strategy of first minimizing energy use, by designing a high-performance building envelope, and then using electricity-based high efficiency equipment fueled by renewable photovoltaic arrays to supply needed energy,” the project description states. “Specific measures to ensure the energy efficiency of the units include optimizing building orientation, location of windows and doors, super-insulated walls and ceilings, high performance windows, and maximizing thermal mass. All roof slopes facing due south will accommodate a photovoltaic array at each unit, enabling Project-wide net-zero energy usage.”
The 20 new homes are in response to Mayor Marty Walsh’s call for 53,000 new residential units as part of his sweeping housing plan to create dense, relatively cheap options for middle- and low-income earners alike, representing an investment of more than $20 million.
The size of the development means 64 Allandale will be subject to the Article 80 public review process so forthcoming public hearings, renderings and design updates will imminently ensue. It’s during this time that the proponents, too, will outline price points, affordability and other public benefits.
Should this project gain BRA approval, it will be very interesting to see the effect it has on West Roxbury. The BRA’s description of the neighborhood indicates it’s inhabited chiefly by white families with most people in the age range of 35 to 49. Most have earned a bachelor’s degree – almost half in fact (48.6 percent) – and the median household income is $74,797. The per capita household income for almost 36 percent of the population is $100,000 or greater. More than half the population works in a managerial and professional capacity.
Essentially, West Roxbury is one of Boston’s more affluent communities but also one of its least diverse. If the 64 Allandale project is able to serve those who perhaps wouldn’t traditionally be able to afford a West Roxbury residence, it could breathe new life into an otherwise sleepy area. Students, young professionals, entrepreneurs and those who already live in West Roxbury or surrounding neighborhoods like Jamaica Plain, Roslindale or Hyde Park could make West Roxbury a go-to place to live and grow in upcoming years.
