Apartment complex to be built at the site of the Phillips Old Colony House restaurant

It's slated to include 219 residential units and 14,200 square feet of public open space. Read more on realestate.boston.com.

A rendering of the complex at 780 Morrissey Blvd. CUBE 3

January 28, 2021

2 minutes to read

Get ready to see a new addition along Interstate 93.

Earlier this month, New Jersey-based Michaels Development and The Phillips Group got the Boston Planning and Development Agency green light to start work on 780 Morrissey Blvd., a Dorchester site that is slated to contain 219 residential units and more than 14,000 square feet of public open space.

The site was formerly home to the restaurant and event space Phillips Old Colony House and Freeport Tavern, which shut its doors after nearly 30 years in business in January 2017, according to the Dorchester Reporter. The Phillips Group’s Joseph Sammartino told the Reporter at that time that the company expected to hire a commercial real estate broker to assist in marketing the space for potential sale or redevelopment. The company also owns Boston Bowl, Phillips Chocolates, a Comfort Inn, and a Ramada hotel. Per the Reporter, 780 Morrissey Blvd. is currently being used as a vehicle storage area for a nearby car dealership.

The main focus of the nearly 80,000-square-foot site will be a building comprised of two wings measuring five and six stories high. The proposed homes will be a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, 29 of which will be designated as affordable housing. A parking garage on the ground level is also planned — a proposed 136 parking spots on the property, including seven visitor spaces.

That being said, the developers are targeting a demographic that is less dependent on cars: The plans include a public bike plaza and a room with 219 bike parking spaces for residents, as well as 44 exterior bike parking spaces and 19 Bluebike docks accessible to the public. A corridor for pedestrians and bicycles is slated to connect Morrissey Boulevard to a future public path that will run past the waterfront side of the property. There is also anticipated shuttle service to the JFK MBTA stop, Logan Airport, and nearby retail. Car share service Envoy will also be on site for resident use.

The proposed property includes a community art wall, an interactive art walk, a public dog park, a roof deck, and a pop-up park that is intended to host community events such as food trucks, food markets, and live music. Future residents will have access to an additional 18,800 square feet of open space created for public use, and the building may even come to include a co-working space.

The project includes a $100,000 contribution to Climate Ready Dorchester. That money will target the initiative’s Tenean Beach and Conley Street plans to build a deployable gate and lessen near-term flood risks.

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