Blue Hill

Located on the corner of Blue Hill Avenue and Culbert Street in Mattapan, this transit-oriented development contains 41 all-affordable housing units as well as community anchor space. Notably, the project aims to set a new standard for sustainability; it is an all-electric building, is pursuing passive house certification, and incorporates both Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) as well as rooftop solar panels. Initial estimates indicate that the rooftop and façade mounted solar panels will cover over 40% of on-site electricity usage per year. The client has committed to purchasing the remaining power via renewable energy sources, making this project zero net carbon.

In addition to the robust sustainability goals, 1471 Blue Hill has been designed to preserve the trees on site, maintaining a critical tree canopy that benefits the surrounding community and addresses urban heat island effect. The massing has been shaped and stepped to negotiate the scale change between the more dense Blue Hill Avenue and the one and two family residential context along Culbert Street. A community garden space and pocket park create opportunities for both residents and neighbors to enjoy and interact with this new addition to the community.

In collaboration with PLAN: Mattapan, the project site aims to improve the surrounding public realm and streetscape, including a city owned parcel at the corner of Blue Hill Avenue. This plaza is activated by the community anchor, which is envisioned as a community meeting space, which the project team will seek to program in collaboration with local neighborhood groups. In addition to meeting DHCD and MOH regulations, this project has engaged in a robust community outreach process, which has been used to shape and refine the building design