BOSTON — The City of Boston is moving forward with its largest office-to-residential conversion to date, marking a significant milestone in efforts to address housing demand and reshape the downtown core.
The Boston Planning Department this month recommended approval of a project that will convert approximately 219,200 square feet of office space into 255 new housing units. The proposal, now headed to the Boston Planning & Development Agency Board, includes 52 income-restricted units and is expected to generate about 203 construction jobs and 18 permanent positions.
City officials say the project represents a new scale for conversions under the administration of Michelle Wu, whose office-to-residential initiative has aimed to revitalize underutilized commercial buildings while addressing the city’s housing shortage.
The announcement comes alongside the recognition of a major transition in Boston’s planning leadership. Mayor Wu and Chief of Planning Kairos Shen honored Ted Landsmark on his retirement from the BPDA Board after more than a decade of service.
Landsmark, who joined the board in 2014, is its longest-serving member and played a key role during a period of significant growth. During his tenure, the board approved nearly 60,000 housing units across the city, including close to 16,000 income-restricted homes, along with projects totaling $48.7 billion in investment and 138 million square feet of development.
“Ted Landsmark’s influence can be seen not only in the city’s growth and its skyline, but in the generations of planners, architects, and advocates he has mentored,” Mayor Wu said. “We are grateful to Dr. Landsmark for his years of public service and for pushing Boston to live up to its promise of being a home for everyone.”
The newly proposed conversion underscores Boston’s broader strategy of adapting to shifting real estate dynamics, particularly as demand for office space remains uncertain while the need for housing continues to grow.
Development Projects
Jobs: 203 construction jobs, 18 permanent jobs
- An update to a previously approved project at 69 A Street in South Boston to convert the approved office space into 24 units of housing.
