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City solicits comments on plans to add affordable housing atop the West End library
The proposal calls for a two-story library facility, apartments, a teen room, community space, and more.
The historic West End Branch of the Boston Public Library could get a makeover — and with it, a new affordable housing development.
The nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing, Caste Capital, and the City of Boston are partnering on the redevelopment of the branch at 151 Cambridge St.
The project remains in the planning stages, but is expected to be completed in 2027. The public comment period on the project ends Feb. 10.
“We looked at this opportunity as one that was transformative,” said Patrick Kimble, founder and managing partner of Caste Capital. “This project was one that could be additive for a neighborhood that has historically limited affordable housing.”
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The new 186,000-square-foot building would include a two-story library space and 119 units of affordable housing above it. The project would be part of the city’s Housing With Public Assets program, which aims to develop homes for low- and moderate-income residents above city properties, which, in addition to libraries, includes police and fire stations, parking lots, and more.
The units would include a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, including 40 units that deemed affordable for households earning up to 30 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) and 79 units for those earning up to 80 percent of the AMI.
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The development will also have a courtyard, amenity spaces for residents, and a plaza that will be shared with the Otis House museum. The library, which first began serving the West End neighborhood in 1896, is a social and educational hub for the community.
“The library today is one that has been a staple for the neighborhood — it is something people hold very near and dear to their hearts,” said Kimble. “The opportunity to create a library that is 70 percent larger and can activate learning in a deeper way was exciting to us.”
Potential new additions to the library, outlined in the programming study, include a community room, teen space, an updated outdoor area, and a learning lab. The entire project is aiming for sustainability, and the whole building will be all-electric, according to the mayor’s office.
The area is home to many institutions of importance to the community and city as a whole, and Kimble noted that historically, many of the employees of these institutions have been unable to live in the neighborhood due to high housing costs. He hopes this will change with the development of more affordable housing.
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“The fact that those who work at those institutions may have the opportunity to live in the community in which they work is pretty special,” he said.
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