270 Centre Street

270 Centre Street

Jamaica Plain, MA

This 40,000SF mixed-use project for the Jamaica Plain NDC was developed as a sustainable, Transit-Oriented Development adjacent to the Jackson Square T Station and the Southwest Corridor Park. The program includes retail and office space at the street level and affordable housing on the upper three floors. The façade has a rhythm of multi-story corrugated metal bays that break the building massing, and relate to nearby houses. Facing Jackson Square, the corner bay is curved, with a prow above of vegetated screen. The brick exterior at the streets gives way to fiber-cement clapboard at the rear. With a high performance envelope and energy efficient systems, it meets Energy Star and LEED standards. The design includes passive solar strategies: the long elevations face north and south, and natural light and ventilation are maximized with large operable windows. The roof is planned to incorporate a photovoltaic array providing electricity to the building, and drought-resistant vegetation to reduce the heat island effect.

The building is designed to minimize fossil fuel use, preserve natural resources, and maximize indoor air quality. With a high performance envelope and energy efficient systems, it meets Energy Star and LEED standards. The building design includes passive solar strategies, such as orienting the building with long elevations to the north and south and maximizing natural light and ventilation with large operable windows. The roof incorporates a 25kW photovoltaic array providing electricity to the building, and drought-resistant vegetation to reduce the heat island effect.

Residential units range from studios to three bedrooms, with barrier-free apartments in all sizes. Units are designed in accordance with the Massachusetts Fair Housing Act, the Department of Mental Health, Massachusetts Architectural Access Board, and Mayor's Office of Housing (formerly DND) and Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities (EOHLC, formerly DHCD) standards.