RISE and DivcoWest breaks ground on 70-unit The Ellery in West Roxbury, MA

West Roxbury, MA RISE, a Boston-based minority-owned developer and construction firm, along with development partner, DivcoWest, has broken ground on The Ellery – a new residential community at 199 Gardner St.

The team includes Monte French Design Studio Architecture and Planning, Bohler Engineering, H+O Structural Engineering, McPhail Associates, and Wozny/Barbar & Associates (WBA). 

The project will revitalize a former commercial site, replacing several industrial buildings with an 84,000 gross s/f residential building. The city itself is an anomaly – a suburban neighborhood within an urban setting, creating a community. Tree-lined streets and open space make for a desirable housing experience for many. 

As part of RISE’s equitable development model, and continued mission to create housing options in the Greater Boston region, The Ellery will consist of a four-
story residential building with 70 rental housing units, including one-bedroom and two-bedroom unit options. Nine units will be designated as affordable and will be available to individuals and families earning up to 70% of the area median income (AMI).

This program will fulfill a pillar of RISE’s housing goals - creating housing stock and affordable housing options in urban and suburban locations. Since the firm’s inception, RISE has focused on underutilized areas that can absorb appropriate density and has transformed them into places that create a strong social impact. Affordable and accessible housing options are just one piece of the equitable development framework, but an important starting point to improving the quality of life for all residents. 

The Ellery will feature a number of green and sustainable components, exceeding what is required by the city, in an effort to ensure this community contributes to the overall health of the neighborhood. The building will target LEED gold certifiability and includes all-electric mechanical and energy systems. This effort is in line with the city’s Carbon Free Boston initiative.

“West Roxbury is an amazing neighborhood on the outer edge of Boston, offering ample open space, multimodal transit, and a wonderful community to live and work,” said Herby Duverné, founder and CEO of RISE. “RISE is excited to diversify the housing options in this neighborhood. The Ellery will not only create new and affordable housing options but will also contribute to the improving trajectory of sustainable building practices and systems in the city. This is an exciting milestone, and we are pleased to have a well-respected partner like DivcoWest with us on this journey.”

Eighteen of the 70 on-site parking spaces, or 25% of total parking supply, will be designated for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The remaining 75% of parking spaces on-site are EV-ready and able to adapt as alternative and green transit continues to evolve and grow. With this long-term viability and adaptivity in mind, the building will be solar panel ready. 

For those opting for alternative transit options, the project contributed funds to the city of Boston to support the creation and installation of a BlueBikes Station in the immediate area. The project also incorporates a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program that includes a shuttle service for residents to access the West Roxbury Commuter Rail Station, and 70 on-site bicycle storage spaces, as well as additional bicycle racks for building visitors and the public.

The surrounding area and pedestrian experience will be enhanced with new sidewalks and landscaping along Gardner St., a new public crosswalk, street striping, and signage. 

The new residential community includes a variety of amenities including a club room, on-site bicycle storage areas, a fitness center, work-from-home stations for any hybrid or remote work scenario, and resident storage areas. 

The joint venture, DW RT Ellery, LLC, acquired the site and project in June 2022. Demolition of the buildings that occupied site occurred in July-September 2022. Project completion is expected by May 2024.