Rendering by Hacin and Associates of the new residences at the former Poor Clare Nuns.
A Wellesley developer has unwrapped its plans for the old Poor Clare Nuns monastery at the Arborway rotary in Jamaica Plain: Turn the former residence into 38 apartments for seniors and then build an all-wood 85-unit condo building behind it.
Sixteen Penny Co.'s proposal calls for 25 of the senior apartments to be rented as affordable - and for the creation of 118 parking spaces in a two-level underground garage on the 3.3-acre site, which fronts the Arborway and Centre Street in the front and the Arnold Arboretum in the back. The spaces would serve both residents and visitors, according to the company's filing with the Boston Planning Department.
The condos would be constructed in a four-story "mass timber" building behind the current Poor Clares residence, which was built in 1932 and served as home for the contemplative order until they moved to Westwood a couple years ago.
The current two-entrance circular drive and grassy area in front of the monastery would be replaced by a single straight driveway and a "pollinator" garden right along Centre.
Significant open space is being incorporated into the design and provides engaging circulation for both pedestrians and cyclists on the Project Site. The Project thoughtfully improves residential density while increasing the overall caliper width of tree cover.
The condo building would have rooftop gardens for residents to tend.
The condos would be split between 17 one-bedroom units, 46 two-bedroom units and 22 three-bedroom units. The senior apartments would consist of 34 one-bedroom units and 4 condos.
In addition to bike storage for residents, Sixteen Penny would set aside space on Centre Street for a new Bluebikes station.
The buildings would use electricity for heating and air conditioning; the developer says it's still investigating using electricity for water heating. Building the condos in an all-wood "mass timber" structure would further reduce the complex's overall carbon emissions because significant amounts of carbon are released to create the concrete and steel that would otherwise be used. Also:
Rainwater management is key to the Project's sustainability strategy, which proposes to incorporate green roofs, open spaces, and permeable pavers to mitigate stormwater runoff and improve onsite water retention. These features will reduce strain on municipal infrastructure while enhancing the Project Site's resilience to changing climate conditions.
This is the third proposal by Sixteen Penny, originally under the name Holland Development, for the site - at least after the Poor Clare order agreed to leave the residence building up for a new owner to deal with rather than razing the structure as part of its tradition of leaving no traces behind.
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Comments
Looks great
By Sock_Puppet
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 5:09pm
Nice dormers. Building steps up sensibly. The roof is going to be cool. Build it.
The apartment building is scheduled to open Q3 of 2027, and the rotary redesign is scheduled to go for bids in 2026... should be a nice place to live, and easier to cross the street.
Build it
By emac
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 7:22pm
.
Full speed ahead!
By Gary C
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 8:05pm
This updated plan seems to address all the complaints about the original idea. (As I recall, the main beef was that they were going to knock down the existing building. Not sure how they figured out how to keep/fix that and make it all work financially, but happy that they did.)
The monastery wanted to knock it down
By mg
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 9:22pm
The monastery's order has a tradition of leaving no trace when they leave. Something had to be worked out with them so they'd make an exception. It wasn't the developer trying to raze it.
Dup sorry
By Gary C
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 8:48pm
...
Dup
By Gary C
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 8:47pm
...
Can we hear from…..
By John Costello
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 7:58am
….those people who wanted to have the Arboretum expanded onto this a few years ago, because you know, a few more acres added to the 281 already there would make the world a better place for them to look at a leaf and wax on in their mind about their existence over, you know, housing.
We have thousands of acres of
By Kinopio
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 7:53am
We have thousands of acres of parking. Turn that into housing. And close down the two stupid roads that cut the Arboretum in half.
Go Back To Connecticut
By John Costello
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 8:01am
Seriously go.
PS - The roads were there before it was the Arboretum.
You are such a whiny one trick pony. The "cars are bad thing, bikes rule" works great when you are a raised well off unmarried little single boy cosplaying city.
It doesn't work for the other 98% of us.
Where did they mention bikes in this thread?
By spin_o_rama
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:44am
Are we cyclists not allowed to speak about additional ways to increase housing mo thiarna?
Sorry Adam!
By spin_o_rama
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:45am
Duplicate post
You are incredibly dumb.
By Kinopio
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 6:13pm
You are incredibly dumb. Every assumption you made about me is completely wrong. I knew you were ignorant and intolerant before but thanks for the reminder. You are the one cosplaying as a city boy if your lazy ass drives everywhere.
Question
By SwirlyGrrl
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 8:38pm
Do you even know how to ride a bike? Have you tried?
Do you ever even walk anywhere or is that too far beneath your projected social station?
You will live a lot longer if you burn off the impotent rage with appropriate exercise.
Expanding The Arboretum would make the world a better place
By Daan
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:44am
There are many places in the Boston metro area where housing can be added. There are few places where parks can be expanded. Given Wu's willingness to give the ulimate of soccer moms part of Franklin Park, so they can increase their worthless wealth, that represents a decrease in parkland.
Since the former monastery is adjacent to the Arboretum is makes sense for the Arboretum to expand. Where else can major parks expand in Boston?
What would be better is to not waste money subsidizing the ultimate soccer moms by giving them a stadium and instead, if those funds have to be spent, using them to provide more kids with more time in parks. Especially parks that include forests.
The reason is for mental health. Housing is needed. But poor mental health just means housing where behavioral abuses, drug and alcohol abuse, bullets entering through walls, etc. are more likely to happen. Providing kids, more time in forests can improve their mental health, give them more exposure to people who might recognize when abuses are happening and just give them the freedom to get away from the crap of living in neighborhoods where there are more metal poles than trees.
On the other hand, when housing matters only to provide roofs over the heads of potential GDP producers, what does it matter if their lives are miserable, so long as they are good worker bees making producing GDP.
Can we do housing and parks?
By serene_lovelace
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 1:30pm
How does expanding the Arboretum make it more effective for improving mental health? It’s already big enough to drown out the sound of cars. I’d rather have larger green spaces in other areas of the city. With how public transit is here, it’s challenging to get to the Arboretum from most other places in the city. It’s a huge trek from anywhere without quick access to the orange line. Having to travel 1hour+ to get to substantial green space to improve mental health doesn’t seem very useful. We have “green space” in Allston/Brighton but it’s surrounded by the noise and fumes of cars.
no traces?
By Will
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 9:09pm
Where did this new BS about these Franciscan nuns being committed to leaving no trace behind come from? The first developer lied about the nuns' crypt in the basement even though the tombs had already been removed. Then they had some whack right-wing lawyers claim that the nuns had a first amendment free exercise of religion right to control the property even after they sold it. The archdiocese shut that down fast before a court had a chance to squash it.
No trace behind? Now that the attempts of the first developer have been shut down the good nuns can take the money and run. No need to rewrite history to cover up the mendacity of the earlier scheme and its proponents.
Nothing new (and nothing BS,
By Rob
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 2:39pm
Nothing new (and nothing BS, either). It was mentioned months ago - just look at some of the earlier installments of reporting.
This July I’ll be a 59yr
By Jose Reyes
Tue, 02/11/2025 - 10:23pm
This July I’ll be a 59yr resident of Jamaica Plain (Centre & Sunnyside St).
I’ve been on disability for 6yrs now and being treated for leukemia (CML) and epilepsy. I’ve been looking to relocate back to JP…my home
Hoping that I can be eligible for a lottery to hopefully land a unit and come back.
It’s their project and I respect that…
But I would’ve love to see the numbers change…85 senior/35 condo…
Thank you for your time
Look forward to hearing back on lottery and seeing final outcome.
Why do you want to take
By Kinopio
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 7:43am
Why do you want to take housing units away from everyone to give it to one group? Why is it ok to discriminate against younger people? Boston needs younger working people to staff hospitals, schools etc.
Your generation of NIMBY Boomers created this housing crisis. Now all over JP senior only housing is being built or planned. Enough already. Boomers hoard property and get extra breaks on property taxes. We need housing for everyone, not just one greedy group.
Wow. Just wow.
By Mike Murphy
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 11:36am
What an insipid, ignorant comment to make. You know nothing about this person yet we're compelled to cast all kinds of aspersions.
I'd say that Boston needs less people like you.
It all solves the same issues
By SwirlyGrrl
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 8:44pm
It ultimately doesn't matter. The lack of available smaller units impacts older and younger home seekers alike, and traps older people in place rather than freeing up larger units.
If older folks can't afford to downsize because rents are so extreme, then inventory of those houses is constricted driving up prices. If houses are too expensive, then mid-aged people living in smaller units who now have kids can't move out of those smaller units. That makes the smaller units more expensive. Any form of smaller unit - senior or not - changes the situation for the better.
You could have easily made a statistically-based argument that there are fewer seniors seeking such units in Boston, but you chose otherwise.
Eh.
By statler
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 8:53am
It preserves the monastery and we need new housing so build it, but I'm not going to pretend to be impressed by the design.
Unfortunately it's just not economical to build nice things.
Awesome!
By Bcave
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 4:20pm
Seems like a great idea. Some much needed additional housing. I hope some of the new residents get to enjoy the view of the arboretum
Devastating
By MalcolmJP
Thu, 02/13/2025 - 10:06am
This land is zoned for nine housing units, and building this monstrosity that doesn't blend in with the surrounding architecture goes against Fredrick Law Olmsted's vision for the Emerald Necklace. The plan will negatively impact the Arnold Arboretum by destroying viewsheds, casting shadows that will negatively effect vegetation, increasing traffic and noise, etc. We must unite as a community and stand up to developers who want to do irreparable damage to make a quick buck.
Nimby
By Bostonlifer
Fri, 02/14/2025 - 8:47am
You are the problem
Impact on the Arboretum?
By JP Pond Dweller
Thu, 02/13/2025 - 3:26pm
It is great to see the city taking seriously the housing shortage and supporting these types of projects.
The major concern I have is the impact on the Arboretum itself.
I suspect this building will be highly visible from the arboretum entrance towering over the historic landscape and changing its character for all who visit each year.
I am sure all of the high-priced penthouse apartments will have great views into the Arboretum. While everyone who enjoys the Arboretum will be subjected to the views of the building. It also appears that the building will be big enough to shade out trees in the Arboretum.
Hopefully the developers can render some images to see how it will look from the Arboretum so we can fully understand its impact.
Looks like a great project otherwise and something that hopefully will generate “some” affordable housing in the area
The addition is so ugly and
By Leslie Donahue
Thu, 02/13/2025 - 7:19pm
The addition is so ugly and looks like every other cheap, new construction. Housing is needed but please keep the original building in mind instead of just slapping a modern, uninspired box on the back of it.
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