AFFORDABLE, INTERGENERATIONAL HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES | MATTAPAN, MA
A bold new vision for Boston's Mattapan neighborhood
Olmsted Village is an innovative intergenerational community in Mattapan that blends a vibrant mix of deeply affordable housing with supportive services, child care, healthcare, and other community connections. A joint venture between Lena New Boston and 2Life Communities, Olmsted Village will transform the remaining 10 acres of the former Boston State Hospital campus, resulting in the construction of 287 new homes in three housing communities.
Everything you need, close at hand
With significant community input, Lena New Boston has created 500 units of mixed-income family and senior housing as well as open and community spaces in the Olmsted Green development adjacent to Olmsted Village.
Now, Olmsted Village expands upon and benefits extensively from the already successful redevelopment of the first 42 acres of the former Boston State Hospital campus with a vibrant mix of affordable housing and supportive services. 2Life Communities' contributions to Olmsted Village are Brooke House and Treehouse at Olmsted Village, which will provide affordable rental housing for seniors, foster-adoptive families, and youth aging out of foster care. 2Life's development partner, Lena New Boston, will round out Olmsted Village with a variety of wealth-building home ownership opportunities for moderate- and middle-income families — all right next to the Boston Nature Center and close to the renowned Franklin Park.
A health clinic, child care center, and large intergenerational outdoor play space are just a few Olmsted Village highlights. A community shuttle will provide transit to and from the Forest Hills MBTA station, providing easy access to the broader community to these exceptional services while connecting Olmsted Village residents to all Boston has to offer.
287
8,400
4,200
1,500
Brooke House: Affordable community living for older adults
On track to open in early 2028, Brooke House will provide 127 affordable, service-enriched apartments for older adults. Apartments will be 100% affordable to households with incomes up to 60% of the area median income (AMI), with additional subsidies to support deeper levels of affordability. Apartments will meet the highest standards of universal design to allow residents to remain in their homes as their physical needs change.
The ground-floor Village Center includes flexible spaces to gather and for 2Life to deliver its award-winning programs and services, including resident services coordination, fitness/wellness programs, lifelong learning, and arts and culture programs. About 2,400 square feet will be publicly accessible community space, with a small convenience store included. The Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center and Shattuck Child Care Center will both be located at Brooke House.
The highly efficient, sustainable, and resilient building is designed to Passive House standards, bringing improved health, economic, and environmental benefits while reducing our carbon footprint. MASS Design Group, a world-renowned social-justice-focused firm, is the project's architect.
Treehouse at Olmsted Village: Intergenerational living with a purpose
On track to open in late 2028, Treehouse at Olmsted Village will be generationally inclusive and purpose driven. 2Life and its partner the Treehouse Foundation are expanding upon the Treehouse Foundation's award-winning model that brings together foster, adoptive, and kinship families; young people at risk of aging out of the child welfare system alone; and older adults who become "honorary grandparents." All will live together in a safe and mutually supportive community that helps everyone heal and thrive.
By empowering a caring, committed community to support its own members, the model decreases the overall cost of programs and services. Those with distinct needs will have a comprehensive array of support options offered in partnership with trauma-informed, on-site staff. The property includes 12 affordable rental apartments for foster, adoptive, and kinship families; 8 affordable rental apartments for transition-age youth; and 46 affordable rental apartments for older adults.
MASS Design Group is the architect and has led a participatory design process that has shaped every part of the design. The building will promote safety, serenity, comfort, accessibility, and sustainability.
Affordable homeownership opportunities for families
Olmsted Village will offer 94 mixed-income affordable homeownership opportunities for moderate- and middle-income families. This opportunity will empower buyers of diverse incomes and ethnicities to invest in their homes, build equity, benefit from asset appreciation, and strengthen their roots in the community. The homes will be a mix of condominiums in four buildings, with a variety of unit types.