West Roxbury, MA Real estate developer WonderGroup won final approval for the Allandale Residences, a national model for energy efficient design. The project will be Boston’s first entirely net-zero energy and LEED Platinum neighborhood. It will also be the first project in New England constructed to FORTIFIED Home certification standards. The approval of the Allandale Residences project represents an investment in the neighborhood in excess of $20 million.
The Allandale Residences will consist of 20 units, 16 will be new, sustainably developed townhouses, plus four units will be in a renovated and expanded single-family home existing at the property. The 16 units will be built in five separate clusters. The project will comply with the city’s Inclusionary Development policy by creating two on-site affordable units.
Allandale Residences - West Roxybury, MA“As Boston looks to become more resilient and energy-efficient we envision this project as a model for sustainable development in New England and beyond,” said WonderGroup owner Jacqueline Nunez. “From the implementation of the FORTIFIED Home standards to our other ambitious goals, this project will improve the ecology, protect and enhance Allandale Woods, while also providing much-needed housing to the community.”
By following the FORTIFIED Home construction methods, the project represents an investment in resiliency for the neighborhood, reducing both the social and economic effects of natural disasters by providing a uniform, voluntary and superior set of standards to help make homes safer, stronger and more resistant to the effects of climate change.The site will feature abundant open space and will be landscaped with predominantly native species. A new public pedestrian walkway will weave through the residences, linking Allandale St. to Allandale Woods and encouraging the public to enjoy the adjacent natural resources. With the approval of the Allandale Residences project, WonderGroup has also agreed to contribute $50,000 to the Boston Parks Department to benefit Allandale Woods.
Mayor Martin Walsh’s goal of building 53,000 more housing units in Boston by 2030 underscores the severe housing shortage in Boston, including in the West Roxbury neighborhood. The approved project will provide 20 new homes for this community, and will do so in a smart, sustainable, green and contextually appropriate manner. Additionally, the project will create more than 25 full-time construction jobs over an 18-24 month period.
Merge Architects has designed contemporary, wood-sided buildings that will be nestled into the site’s sloping terrain. The new residential units will be 3.5 to 4.5-story, three-bedroom structures, with sizes ranging from 1,600 to 2,400 s/f. Each new townhouse will have a private entrance and an internal garage, and there will be dedicated bike storage for residents and electrical charge stations for each resident vehicle.
Development team also included
Owner/Builder: Wonder Group, LLC. -Jacqueline Nunez Architects
Merge Architects, Inc.- Beth Whitaker Landscape Architect
Offshoots, Inc. – Kate Keenan
Legal Counsel: Dain, Torpy, Le Ray, Wiest & Garner, P.C. – Don Wiest
Civil Engineer: Design Consultants, Inc.
Sustainability Consultant: Sustainable Energy Analytics, LLC
WonderGroup Real Estate Development is dedicated to creating exceptional residential developments. Led by Dorchester resident Jacqueline Nunez, WonderGroup seeks to create projects that set a new standard for sustainable, environmentally sensitive neighborhood development.