Cultural, artistic center and market proposed for Roxbury’s Nubian Square

An underused parking lot right in the middle of Roxbury’s Nubian Square is being targeted for major development to turn it into a “cultural, academic, and artistic mecca” that includes art space, storefronts for local businesses and areas for offices and labs.

The development called Nubian Square Ascend would be on what’s called the Blair Lot, the 2.45-acre expanse between Washington Street and Harrison Avenue at the end of Ruggles Street, and it would be built by an all-minority team helmed by Richard Taylor, whose company has been involved with building the Omni hotel in the Seaport.

The 348,320-square-foot project would be eight stories high at its tallest point of 65 feet.

Its letter of intent, filed this week with the Boston Planning & Development Agency, touted the proposal as a chance to build a “cultural, academic, and artistic mecca.” There would be a floor for local businesses to lease storefronts, a “cultural hall” with a performance venue, artist housing and studios, open space, a parking garage, and commercial and lab space.

The development team wrote in its proposal to the BPDA in December that the goal is to “attract purchasing power to Nubian Square to support existing & new businesses from the community anxious to participate in the Ascension of Nubian Square.”

The arts portions of the development would be done in consultation with neighboring establishments Nubian Gallery and The Black Market, the latter of which is run by acting Mayor Kim Janey’s sister. The project would encircle Nubian Gallery on three sides, and the performance area would fit in between the gallery and The Black Market.

The project would also include the elimination of Renfrew Street, a small quarter-circle route on the site. The end of it that comes off of Eustis Street would become the access point to the 300-space garage. The garage and other parts of the sprawling development would be capped off with solar panels.

The project would need approval from city bodies including the BPDA board in order to advance.

“Developing the Blair Lot provides an opportunity to deliver on many of the goals set forward by community members through PLAN: Nubian Square, including advancing equity by developing public land for public good, and providing new wealth creation opportunities for local residents,” BPDA Director Brian Golden said in a statement Wednesday.

“I am pleased,” he added, “to see this innovative proposal moving forward and I encourage community members to participate in the public process in the coming months to help shape this project so that it will support Nubian Square and Roxbury for generations to come.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3cDa26I