Southie Real Estate Scoop: 39 A Street

written by Betsey Walsh Frissora

The BRA Board approved the redevelopment of 39 A Street, which would bring both market rate and affordable housing to South Boston. Located within the A St.-Dorchester Ave.-W. Broadway triangle, the proposed 24-unit residential development is within a five- minute walk of the Broadway ‘T’ station, restaurants, retail, a supermarket, Zipcar, the Harborwalk at Bass River and Orton Field. The total project cost is estimated at $6,600,000, and will be developed by East Way Development LLC, with Tim Johnson Architect LLC as the architect.

The proposed project includes the demolition of the existing single-story building, and replacing it with the construction of a 5-story 24,650 sq.ft. building containing 24 condominium units and 30 parking spaces on the ground floor level. The entrance to the building will be on A Street, while the entrance to the garage will be located on Silver Street.

According to the proposed plan, the architectural approach of 39 A Street is to provide a range of diverse unit types that will appeal to and attract a broad set of homebuyers within a building that unifies this diversity. Unit types include : (4)-3 bedroom/2 bath units; (15)-2 bedroom/2-bath units; and, 5 studio units. All public spaces will be accessible to persons w/a disability. And, all units and garage will be accessible via an elevator.

As a public benefit, the developer will widen the public sidewalks along A and Silver Streets to six-feet and plant new street trees along the sidewalkss.  According to the plan, there will be limited vehicular impact to the area since residents of the proposed project will have access to several modes of public transportation, including: train, bus, Bike-share and Zipcar. (A Zipcar location w/two cars is located at 11 W. Broadway/Broadway ‘T’.)

Scheduled to begin construction in the fall of 2014, 39 A Street will create 20 construction jobs in South Boston for the duration of the development. The West Broadway neighborhood has a lot of exciting developments in store, and we are still waiting to see how all of these developments will impact the neighborhood in the long run.