Governor Deval Patrick cuts a ribbon to christen the Thomas I. Atkins Apartments.Click on image to expand
On December 1st, 2010, 150 leaders and community members gathered for the Grand Opening of the Thomas I. Atkins Apartments on Blue Hill Avenue in Dorchester.
White flowers and clusters of balloons imparted an air of celebration to the expansive space that will serve as a community room for the new residents of the Thomas I. Atkins Apartments. The picture windows on the winding outer wall captured a bright view of the busy street outside. By eleven o'clock in the morning, the room was humming with conversation. Many of those present were already acquainted with one another through their involvement in varied community efforts, from neighborhood and CBO-driven initiatives to the Atkins project itself.
Not long ago this site was just an empty lot, the former property of the Kasanof Bakery company. But on this day visitors found themselves inside a handsome four-story residential building: the vision of Nuestra's Real Estate Development department and community members had come to life. Its red brick façade hearkens to the architecture of historic Boston, while its curving outer wall lends a more contemporary flavor. The building rises directly above Blue Hill Avenue, integrating its residents into the community and adding vitality to the urban corridor.
Nuestra Board President Paul Deare opened the ceremony, relaying the story of a seven year process in which local residents, neighborhood associations, and community-based organizations came together to create a new Roxbury landmark. The speakers featured Governor Deval Patrick and Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, state Rep. Byron Rushing, and state Rep. Liz Malia, though Mayor Menino was unfortunately unable to attend due to illness. Other speakers included representatives from Bank of America, MassHousing, Project R.I.G.H.T., and Enterprise Community Partners, whose contributions all played a key role in bringing the project to fruition.
Governor Patrick praised the Thomas I. Atkins Apartments as an agent of hope and opportunity that created jobs, affordable housing, and community space in a time of severe economic difficulty. The development is comprised of 48 units of affordable housing that will help working families earning 60% Area Median Income or less to achieve financial stability, with five units reserved for families earning 30% AMI or less. It also reflects Nuestra’s commitment to generate community wealth, creating 120 new jobs in the construction process, with 38% filled by residents in the three surrounding zip codes.
The vision of the Thomas I. Atkins Apartments is reflected in its name, which community members selected to commemorate a champion of racial justice and inspiration to the Roxbury community. Thomas I. Atkins was an outspoken advocate of integration in the Boston public schools, guiding the legal strategy that eventually mandated desegregation. Speakers recalled Atkins’ courage in becoming Boston’s first African-American at-large city councilor, and in fighting the desegregation struggle in schools around the nation. Though he faced hostility and violence, Atkins did not flee. Instead, he fortified his home to protect his family and continued to represent the interests of communities of color in Boston. Atkins’ legacy is manifest in the new development, which continues his mission of bringing opportunity to the people of Roxbury.
When the speeches were over, Nuestra staff stretched a thick ribbon across the room while Governor Patrick raised a pair of ceremonial golden scissors. Standing inside a circle of community members, the governor cut the ribbon to christen the new space.
Following the ceremony, Project Managers Janet Haines and Paige Thompson led attendees on a tour of the newly completed building. Murmurs of appreciation arose as the guests explored the units, which are comprised of one to three-bedroom apartments and townhouses with energy-efficient kitchen appliances and hardwood floors. The abundance of windows in each unit brings in ample sunlight and offers views of the bustling Blue Hill Avenue neighborhood. The attractive design suggests that functional, affordable housing does not have to be plain. Tenants are likely to quickly feel at home in these units, which offer gleaming new kitchens and spacious quarters.
The Thomas I. Atkins Apartments are sustainable as well as appealing. The building incorporates six inches of wall insulation and advanced air sealing to prevent heat from escaping and noise and odors from traveling between units. An advanced ventilation system will bring fresh air to every apartment. Geothermal heat pumps will provide efficient heating and cooling. Water will be conserved through low-flow shower heads and toilets, the flooring contains high recycled content, and residents have a space to store their bicycles.
The Thomas I. Atkins Apartments represent Nuestra’s commitment to generate wealth in local neighborhoods through a community-driven process. This development brings new life to a major Roxbury thoroughfare while promoting harmony with the environment.
Special thanks to NSTAR, National Grid, and Conservation Services Group for their support of our energy efficiency work.
And to our partners and funders:
Acquisition and Predevelopment Lenders
Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
MassDevelopment
Boston Community Capital
MassHousing
NeighborWorks® America
Development Team
The Architectural Team
CWC Builders
Urban Habitat Initiatives
Matthew Yarmolinsky
Goulston & Storrs
Kim Vermeer
Construction and Permanent Funders
Bank of America
City of Boston, Department of Neighborhood Development
City of Boston, Boston Redevelopment Authority
City of Boston, Neighborhood Housing Trust
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Affordable Housing Trust
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Housing and Community Development
Enterprise Foundation
Home Depot Foundation
MassDevelopment
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
Massachusetts Housing Partnership
NeighborWorks® America
Design Committee
Nine Streets Association (formerly Five Streets Association):
Martha Williams, founding member
Nellie Taylor
Mohamed Ali
Betty Harris
Jerina Harris
Josephine Jackson
Priscilla Jones
Michelle Fornabai
Holborn Gaston Gannett Otisfield Betterment Association:
Bruce Bickerstaff
William Cooke
City of Boston, Department of Neighborhood Development:
David West
Naming Committee
Laura Younger, Holborn Gaston Gannett Otisfield Betterment Assn.
Sharon Matthews, Nine Streets Association
Walter Little, Quincy Geneva Housing Corporation
Jorge Martinez, Project R.I.G.H.T.
Wesley Williams, Nuestra CDC Board of Directors
