Blog Post

Boston’s Multi-Family Developments of the Decade

gbpmboston • Feb 17, 2020

As we approach the close of this decade let’s take a look back at some of the largest and significant residential & mixed-use developments in Boston. As a property management and brokerage firm, we are constantly monitoring the residential market and these projects have had a major impact on Boston’s neighborhoods, sales and rental pricing, and in many cases the skyline. We will also highlight a few upcoming projects sure to make an impact in the coming decade as the city works to reach Mayor Walsh’s goal of creating 69,000 new units of housing by the year 2030.

Millennium Tower

millennium tower

After a gaping hole marred Downtown Crossing for 5 long years, Millennium Tower broke ground in September 2013 and opened in July 2016. The game-changing office, residential and retail development features 442 luxury residential condominiums, some of Boston’s priciest real estate. The tower has led the way for a resurgence of Downtown Crossing

Ink Block

Once a desolate corner of Boston’s South End, Phase One of Ink Block brought 315 apartments plus an array of retail/restaurant options including a Whole Foods to the neighborhood. Completed in 2015 and followed by two additional condo buildings, The Ink Block has energized this critical section of the city at the intersection of the South End, Chinatown and South Boston. We doubt many of these other larger developments under construction now would be moving forward without the Ink Block leading the pack.

Lantera  – Boston Landing

The 17-story building features 295 apartments just steps from the New Boston Landing MBTA Station. While other pieces of the Boston Landing Project, like the Celtics and Bruins practice facilities, may get more press Lantera brings a large scale residential project to this corner of Brighton and provides a key 24/7 residential presence within the development and community.

Pierce

Boston’s Fenway neighborhood has changed dramatically in the past ten years with numerous residential and mixed-use projects popping up, the most eye-catching being Pierce Boston. At 30-stories the glass tower stands elegantly at the busy crossroads of Brookline Ave. and Boylston Street. The building features a mix of 240 rental apartments plus 109 luxury condos. Amenities at Pierce Boston include a Levity Lounge on the building’s top-level and a sky deck featuring a kitchen, a gas fireplace, and a sky top pool. Other amenities include a library, a fitness center, and a private dining room.

Benjamin/Via

There are of course numerous new residential and mixed-use projects in Boston’s Seaport however we chose Benjamin/Via for its sheer size, 1.5 million square feet of residential over three acres of land. The two buildings feature a total of 832 modern apartment homes ranging from studios to three-bedrooms. Luxurious amenities abound within both buildings including an outdoor pool terrace at The Benjamin and a tech bar at VIA. Along with these residential units the project includes 250,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space including Kings Bowling and the 10 screen Showplace ICON Theatre. A 17,000-square-foot open space also serves as a key pedestrian link between Seaport Boulevard and Northern Avenue. The retail and restaurant space here has enlivened the neighborhood and the apartments above have brought more residential tenants to the area.

One Dalton

We certainly couldn’t leave New England’s tallest residential tower, One Dalton off this list. At 740 feet the striking building has irrevocably changed the city’s skyline and also brought luxury living to new heights. The 180 private condos situations over Boston’s second Four Seasons Hotel offer residents amazing views along with access to all hotel amenities plus exclusive owner perks including a private 50th-floor Resident’s Club Lounge.

Upcoming:

Back Bay South End Gateway

This upcoming project to be constructed above the existing Back Bay Station and the adjacent parking garage will feature over 1 million square feet of mixed-use space including around 600 residential units. New restaurant and retail will also be added plus a new 11,000 square foot public plaza along Clarendon Street, serving as a grand gateway to Back Bay Station.

Washington Village

Somewhat surprisingly in busy Southie, the 5-acre Washington Village site has been sitting empty for a number of years. The project could include 7 or 8 buildings with over 650 residences, almost 100,000 square feet of retail space and a 1.5-acre public plaza. In October 2019, the development team filed a Notice of Project Change to construct 1 building in place of the two buildings originally planned as Building A & B within the development. This new building would contain around 214 residential units, 20,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and around 58 parking spaces. For now, we will have to wait to how this project progresses, but should it finally break ground it will certainly have a major impact on the South Boston market.

The Sudbury – Bulfinch Crossing

Yes, it’s another luxury condo and apartment tower but as the first building in Bulfinch Crossing, the mega-development rising out of the Government Center garage it deserves a mention. The 45-story tower will feature 368 apartments and 55 condominiums and will bring a large number of residential tenants to what is typically a business-oriented section of the city

Winthrop Center

Although the number of residential units for Winthrop Center was recently cut down from around 500 to 387, these units are still sure to offer the highest of high-end luxury at top price points. After a long legal battle overshadows and height, it will be interesting to watch this new tower rise in Downtown Crossing.

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