By Ellen Kenny, BACH Intern
Construction begins at Bartlett Place.
Nuestra CDC, one of BACH’s partners, along with Windale Developers, are behind the new and exciting Bartlett Place. Bartlett Place is a large, mixed-use development complex, which will begin construction in Dudley Square, Roxbury, early this year. Once completed, Bartlett Place will be the largest home development in Roxbury’s history. As such, it will greatly impact the community.
Bartlett Place will replace an old MBTA bus lot that has remained unoccupied for years. Throughout this time, Roxbury residents have made use of the lot as a graffiti park–turning it into an artistic haven that many cherished and were sad to see torn down. Before demolition, Nuestra CDC sponsored a summer of art events including concerts, food trucks and a mural festival. The developers have promised to keep an artistic emphasis on Bartlett Place. The “creative village” will incorporate a public plaza for performance and public art in addition to a performing arts charter school.
The developers also hope that the complex will help revitalize the community and create economic development through education, housing, employment and business opportunities. Bartlett Place will be offering 323 new units to the Roxbury community. Of those 323, 194 will be rental units, while the remaining 129 will be available for ownership. Within the development, there will be a grocery store, which will improve Roxbury’s critical food desert issue. Bartlett Place will also include a K-8 charter school and a significant amount of open green space. The developers’ goal is to create opportunity and growth for the neighborhood through energy efficient and environmentally sustainable building practices. The building will additionally employ over 400 construction workers and create permanent jobs for over 200 retail/office jobs. The developers have pledged to hire local workers. Among market-rate prices, there will also be low-income and affordable housing opportunities available for local residents.
A projected design of the Bartlett Place residences and shops.
Bartlett Place will no doubt bring employment and housing opportunities, among overall improvements for the area, however a development of this size has generated conflicting opinions from the community (voiced at a recent meeting for the project). Over the past decade, Roxbury has noticed the strong impact of gentrification. Long-term residents have expressed their frustration with rising rental prices. Many residents worry that Bartlett Place will further drive more local residents out, with the majority of units being offered at market-rate values. However, developers argue that Bartlett Place is addressing gentrification in the area through adding housing for Roxbury families earning a range of incomes. In addition, the development will create new business opportunities for Roxbury entrepreneurs, including Accelerate Boston, Future Boston and LISC.
Bartlett Place is replacing old with new. It will bring further economic development, housing, arts and education to the area. Although some residents fear further gentrification, the development’s goal is to support the local, hard-working residents of Roxbury by improving the area and creating opportunities.
Photos courtesy of Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation. Learn more at http://nuestracdc.org.