New Hyde Square Housing Project Causes Concern

By Abe Scherzer

Anaisy Ruiz walks by the new construction site on the grounds of the old Blessed Sacrament parish every day on her way home from school. Ruiz says she the condominiums and rental co-ops under construction will benefit the neighborhood if they are affordable.

“I hope they’re affordable, and not for just a certain class,” says Ruiz, 21, who has lived in Jamaica Plain most of her life. “I understand that rent is going to go up, but I hope it’s not just business class here.”

The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation and New Atlantic Development began construction on 36 rental co-op units and 16 condominiums about a month ago. As joint partners, the two development companies stress that the units will be affordable when finished.

Peter Roth, 51, President of New Atlantic Development, says the average condominium will cost $177,000. Each condominium is a two-bedroom unit, which Roth says can serve two to four people. Roth says the rental units will be set by the area median income, and that rents will be $250 to $300 less than market rents.

Brian Goldson, Construction Director for New Atlantic Development, says they have catered to the community. “We’ve worked hard to keep in close contact with the community,” Goldson says. “We had a community meeting when we undertook the project and went door-to-door with pamphlets. Overall, I think it’s been a positive response.” Goldson says the main lingering community concern is the built-in affordability of the housing.

Maria Mulkeen, 43, JPNDC project manager, is confident the condos will sell when they go on the market in 17 months, even with the recent downturns in the housing market. “We did market studies this summer that showed the JP market is much healthier than most Boston neighborhoods,” Mulkeen says. “Analysts felt comfortable that (these units) will sell.”

Ruiz is concerned that these new housing units may make Jamaica Plain may lose its Latin flavor. “They kind of want to turn J.P. into a snooty place,” Ruiz says. “J.P.’s always been a Latin community. Now they’re kicking Latin people out.”

Roth said the new housing units will only strengthen the community. “The overall outcome was to have the project reflect the demographics of the neighborhood,” Roth says. “We wanted to project the neighborhood’s demographics.”

Brian Frud, 34, a Los Angeles transplant living in Jamaica Plain, says the new housing units may help to connect the neighborhood. “You walk a couple blocks that way and there are some incredible homes,” Frud says, pointing toward the center of Jamaica Plain. “It would be nice to get some nicer housing in some of the poorer parts.”

The affordable co-ops and condominiums are part of the first phase of construction on the property, which will also include retail space below the co-op housing. Phase 2 will include condominiums built inside the preserved church building (about one-third affordable and two-thirds market price), a parking garage, and green space. The partners hope to begin Phase 2 next year.