The Boston Planning and Development Agency on Thursday is anticipated to approve the 900,000-square-foot, first section of Harvard University’s growth into Allston, which a few of the venture’s former critics now say may gain advantage the group.
State Rep. Kevin Honan, one in every of three elected officers who co-signed a letter final month to Mayor Michelle Wu and the BPDA, saying he couldn’t help the venture, on Wednesday mentioned Wu, the company and group activists managed to persuade Harvard to make the venture “more palatable” to the group by together with extra inexpensive housing and open area on the college’s proposed Enterprise Research Campus.
Harvard and developer Tishman Speyer agreed to make 25% of the 345 housing items residences on its proposed Western Avenue campus earnings restricted, in comparison with the 13% that’s the usual in Boston. The residences the college has proposed will meet a variety of earnings ranges, between 30% and 100% of the realm median earnings.
The college additionally will make a $25 million fee to determine an Allston-Brighton Affordable Housing Fund.
Harvard agreed to incorporate transportation enhancements and extra publicly accessible open area, together with connections from Allston to the Charles River and Ray Mellone Park. And it dedicated to rising workforce coaching alternatives to convey residents into the rising life sciences sector.
City Councilor Liz Breadon mentioned Harvard’s preliminary plan lacked group enter on this first section of its growth. But she’s hoping the modifications the college made in its proposal will set a precedent for future improvement on the 360 acres the college owns in Allston and Brighton.
“We’re hoping things will go better if Harvard includes community input ahead of time in the next phase,” she mentioned. “We don’t want another Seaport,” one of the costly locations to reside in Boston.
“I’m grateful to the many community leaders and activists who have shaped this agreement and who will continue to steer our focus for sustainable, equitable land in Allston is of such scale and scope that the impact will shape generations to come—we must get this right for our communities,” Wu mentioned in an announcement.
The college may also donate land at 65 Seattle Street for the creation of extra inexpensive homeownership alternatives in Allston.
The mayor and the BPDA additionally introduced Harvard has agreed to contribute as much as $1 million for an Allston-Brighton Community Needs Assessment to assist inform future group advantages and can contribute one other $1 million for a city-led planning and rezoning examine for the 22 acres of the Enterprise Research Campus outdoors the present 14-acre website.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”