Mayor Michelle Wu Announces Team to Deliver Affordable Music Studio and Rehearsal Space in Allston…

City selects development and community engagement teams for first-of-its-kind cultural and residential space at 290 North Beacon Street

Mayor Michelle Wu, The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) and Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC) announced the selection of a development consultant and a music rehearsal studio consultant for the 290 North Beacon Project in Brighton. This project will create the City of Boston's first publicly owned affordable music rehearsal studio space as well as new deeply affordable housing.

"Delivering new permanent studio rehearsal space alongside much needed public housing will be a historic achievement for our Allston-Brighton cultural community and citywide goal of preserving and growing new creative spaces in Boston," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "I am excited that The Community Builders and Webb Mgmt will help accelerate this work to stabilize our artists from displacement, a win for bolstering the cultural vibrancy of our city."

The Boston Housing Authority is leading the development process for 290 North Beacon and has selected The Community Builders (TCB) to join the development team. TCB brings decades of experience in delivering high quality mixed-use housing and arts developments utilizing creative financing sources, and partnerships across the public and private sector.

"BHA is committed to delivering the affordable housing that the Brighton neighborhood needs and the music rehearsal space that the Boston arts community deserves at 290 North Beacon," BHA Administrator Kenzie Bok said. "With their deep experience, creativity, and expertise, The Community Builders will be an invaluable partner in helping our team bring this vision to life. As our designated developer for Faneuil Gardens next door, they also have a strong familiarity with the surrounding neighborhood and residents. We look forward to working together to offer exciting opportunities for connection between all the communities invested in this important public site, in line with Mayor Wu's vision of using public land for public good."

To ensure this signature project meets the needs of the music community, the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture has selected Webb Mgmt as the music rehearsal space engagement consultants for the 290 North Beacon project. They will be assisted by Inquillinos Boricuas en Acción, Wilson Butler, and Accentech bringing together a team with extensive experience in creating high quality cultural and acoustic developments, and trusted relationships in Boston's creative sector. This team will work with artists as well as the development team to ensure the priorities and interests of the music community are meaningfully reflected in the development of 290 North Beacon.

"290 North Beacon brings together two of Boston's most pressing needs-affordable housing and affordable creative space. This collaboration with the BHA will set a new precedent for how the City of Boston invests in cultural infrastructure," said Joseph Henry, Director of Cultural Planning, Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture. "We're committed to delivering a space that reflects the true needs of Boston's music community-one that's affordable, and intentionally designed by and for the musicians who will use it."

"I'm excited to partner with The Community Builders and the Boston Housing Authority to build an affordable arts and culture space in Brighton," said House Majority Leader Michael Moran. "This project will help give children in our community greater access to creative arts programs."

"I am thrilled that The Community Builders have been selected to develop the 290 North Beacon Street project in Brighton. Allston-Brighton has long served as a hub for Boston's music, arts, and cultural scenes. Local musicians and artists, however, continue to face displacement due to the loss of rehearsal and performance space. The 290 North Beacon project will help address the needs of our music and arts communities through the development of affordable music rehearsal space and affordable housing," said District 9 City Councilor Liz Breadon. "The Community Builders' ongoing work on the redevelopment of the adjacent BHA Faneuil Gardens community has provided them with prior knowledge of the Allston-Brighton neighborhood. As the first arts and housing-centered project in the City's history, I am confident that The Community Builders will bring its extensive experience to help realize this vital project."

The 290 North Beacon site was transferred to the Boston Housing Authority from the Boston Planning & Development Agency, as part of a public benefit that was negotiated due to the loss of musician rehearsal and recording space at 155 North Beacon. As a result, 290 North Beacon was identified as a location for replacement of musician studio space and complementary arts uses. The goals for the 290 North Beacon site are to develop 40,000 square feet of musicians rehearsal/recording studio space and create new deeply affordable homes for Boston residents.

Over the fall the development team will roll out a formal engagement process to connect with musicians, artists, residents, and other community members to define key design priorities and considerations for 290 North Beacon. For further updates about 290 North Beacon please visit the BHA website here.

• Published by: Mayor's Office