Stop & Shop Proposes 1,000 New Housing Units in Allston

UPDATED: February 15, 2017 at 8:39 p.m.

Supermarket conglomerate Stop & Shop has proposed constructing up to 1,000 housing units about a mile away from Harvard’s science and engineering complex in Allston, prompting concerns from residents about potential demographic changes in the neighborhood.

Stop & Shop submitted a letter of intent to the Boston Planning and Development Agency Feb. 10 detailing its plans to redevelop the existing Stop & Shop retail center at 60 Everett Street. This multiple-phase project would be one of the largest housing developments in Boston, and the BPDA will review the proposal.

Located off of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Allston-Brighton, Stop & Shop has owned the plot for almost 20 years. The supermarket chain’s preliminary filing demonstrates an interest in developing the neighborhood.

The intent letter outlined guiding principles for the construction plans, referring specifically to a set of recommendations from 2012 that neighborhood residents, local officials and city planners created. The study recommended creating open spaces, constructing taller buildings along the Mass. Pike, and building a mix of residential, commercial, and cultural institutions.

In addition to “a new state-of-the-art grocery store,” the initial stage of construction will include approximately 360 residential units, parking, and a 25,000 square foot public open space.

Later stages would include building up to 650 additional residential units, as well as more commercial and office space. To support these developments, the plans also include new vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian travel paths.

According to Stop & Shop, their development plans would align with Boston Mayor Martin Walsh’s Boston 2030 goals, which includes the construction of 53,000 new housing units.

Some Allston residents, though, said they are concerned about developments like the Stop & Shop construction could affect the neighborhood.

Residents said they would like to see more owner-occupied housing in Allston-Brighton.

“If this is built for rental units, then this project will not permit people to grow roots in the neighborhood,” said Brighton resident Eva Webster. “Allston is not a revolving door.”

A 2015 US Census report showed that only 17.5 percent of housing units in Allston-Brighton were occupied by owners, as opposed to renters.

Allston resident Elizabeth Breadon said she believes that Harvard’s science and engineering complex, which is also under construction, will influence who lives in Allston in the future.

“The building of the Harvard engineering complex will bring the demand for housing for sure,” she said. “But at the same time, I’d like to see housing for families for people who will be working there—it’s not going to be all single twenty-year-olds.”

In the letter of intent, Guy Stutz, vice president of real estate at Stop & Shop, wrote that Stop & Shop will work with residents during the development.

“In the coming months, Stop & Shop looks forward to continue working with key stakeholders, abutters, the community, City officials and staff to review the plans for the Project, which aims to serve as a gathering place for the Allston community,” Stutz wrote.

The submission of the letter initiates the BPDA’s Large Project Review, an intensive process that considers how large-scale developments will fit into the “existing urban fabric” of a neighborhood.

Despite some concerns, Breadon and Webster said they are excited about the potential neighborhood benefits.

“We definitely look forward to the more green space as part of this project,” Webster said.

—Staff writer Sarah Wu can be reached at sarah.wu@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarah_wu_.

—Staff writer Lucy Wang can be reached at lucy.wang@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @lucyyloo22.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: February 15, 2017

A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Eva Webster as an Allston resident. In fact, Webster lives in Brighton.