For years, Dorchester has been a neighborhood poised for transformation.  What was once it’s own city settled years before Boston, Dorchester offers a combination of attributes not found in other neighborhoods - 9.46 miles of waterfront, residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors and a university campus.  But parts of Dorchester have seen higher crime rates than other areas in Boston, which has given the neighborhood a somewhat negative reputation. Because of this the cost of real estate in Dorchester has remained lower than other neighborhoods.  But much of this crime is sequestered to a few small areas in the largest neighborhood in Boston, and from the perspective of many who live there, Dorchester (lovingly referred to by locals as Dot) is a hidden gem - an under-appreciated neighborhood where the good far outweighs the bad.  

The area is beginning to attract attention, however - from first time home buyers who can’t afford the increasing costs of real estate in South Boston and other Boston neighborhoods, from artists who appreciate the neighborhood’s history, culture and diversity, and from Boston’s mayor Marty Walsh, who has emphasized his commitment to improving the areas infrastructure, transportation and public spaces, while still preserving it’s unique identity.  It’s also attracted the attention of local developers, who are grappling for the neighborhoods affordable land to build apartments, commercial space, and condos in Dorchester.  Here’s a look at the 10 new construction buildings changing the housing game in Dorchester.  

DotBlock

(Source: www.bldup.com)

The much hyped about DotBlock at the juncture of the Savin Hill, Jones Hill and Meeting House Hill neighborhoods will transform a collection of vacant parcels into 388,400 square feet of mixed-use space.  DotBlock will include:

• 362 residential units across five mixed-use buildings, including both apartments and condos
• 37,000 square feet of retail
• Five story parking garage
• Amenities will include a pool and fitness facility, as well as a 20,000 square foot landscaped roof deck.
• Located steps to Savin Hill Station and the MBTA Red Line

New England Heritage Homes

(Source: www.bldup.com)

These residences will add a suburban flare to the urban housing boom in Dorchester, and will include nine new buildings, seven of which will be attached, side-by-side duplexes and two that will be single-family homes.  Here are the details:

• 16 affordable two- and three-bedroom condominium residences totaling nearly one acre
• Steps from Codman Square and the Talbot Avenue MBTA commuter rail station
• Eight residences will be sold to residents earning 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) or below
• Eight residences will be sold to residents earning 100% of AMI or below
• 20 parking spaces will be constructed in addition to bicycle storage
• Completion is expected in November of 2018

South Bay Town Center

(Source: www.bldup.com)

This new, pedestrian-oriented development will open in 2018 and will transform a 10-acre section of the existing South Bay Center shopping mall. In the 720,000 square foot space will be:

• 475 residential units
• 120,000 square feet of retail space
• A 60,000 square foot cinema and 130-room hotel
• 5 new buildings in total
• Active ground-floor uses and open spaces
• Three parking garages along with a surface lot and street parking for a total of 1,095 parking spaces

Indigo Block

(Source: www.bldup.com)

This 125,400 square foot project will include residential apartments, homeownership condominiums and light industrial commercial space.  The expected completion is Spring of 2018.  The details are:

• 80 residential apartments constructed in an 86,000 square foot building.  44 of these apartments will be designated affordable
• Four new buildings with eight residential townhouse-style condominiums will be constructed
• A two-story, 20,000 square foot commercial building will be constructed offering light industrial space, with office space on the second floor
• 86 parking spots will be included in construction.  

Flats on Savin

(Source: www.bldup.com)

The 14 modern luxury apartments recently completed in Savin Hill are now leasing.  This building is located directly across from the Savin Hill MBTA Red Line station, making it an optimal location for commuters.  Here’s more about what the building has to offer:

• Four studios, two 1-bedrooms and eight 2-bedroom apartments
• Apartments feature state-of-the-art flooring and lighting fixtures, kitchens with white Ceasarstone counters and top-quality appliances, oversized windows and private balconies
• Amenities include an on-site fitness center, elevator access, an intercom system, video surveillance and bicycle storage.  
• Leases start at $1,850 / month
• 4,650 square feet of commercial space will be on the ground floor of the Flats on Savin building, including street level and basement space
• The existing Savin Bar and Kitchen restaurant will be incorporated into the new building

1943 Dorchester Avenue

(Source: www.bldup.com)

This mixed-use building across from the Ashmont rapid transit station is currently under construction.  It will feature:

• 64 rental apartment residences - 42 studios, 15 one-bedrooms, 3 one-bedrooms + den and 4 two-bedrooms
• 8 apartments will be designated affordable
• 2,100 square feet of retail space will be available on the ground floor
• 24 at-grade parking spaces will be available

110 Savin Hill Avenue

(Source: www.bldup.com)

Savin Hill is bustling with development, including this 23,984 square-foot mixed-use project across from the Savin Hill MBTA Red Line station at the corner of Savin Hill Avenue and Sydney Street.  There are a lot of details on this one, and here they are:

• Three-story with mezzanine residential building featuring nine-market-rate condominiums and 13 parking spaces
• Residences will include 1 one-bedroom, 770-square-foot adaptable unit, 6 two 2-bedroom units averaging 1,146 square feet and 2 three-bedroom units averaging 1,816 square feet
• Three-story, 10,574-square-foot commercial building fronting onto Savin Hill Avenue
• The first floor will have 3,555 square feet of commercial/retail/restaurant space
• The second and third floors will contain 3,646 square feet and 2,55 square feet respectively, intended for a a single commercial/retail/restaurant tenant

54 Pleasant Street

(Source: www.bldup.com)

This approved Dorchester condo building will be located at the intersection of Pleasant and Stoughton Streets in Savin Hill bordering Jones Hill, convenient to the Savin Hill MBTA Red Line station.  The building will include:

• 17 residential condominiums
• 5 one-bedrooms averaging approximately 907 square feet, 9 two-bedrooms averaging approximately 1,063 square feet and 3 three-bedrooms averaging approximately 1,540 square feet
• An underground garage will house 20 vehicle parking spaces and 10 bicycle storage spaces

Neponset Wharf

(Source: www.bldup.com)

This project is still under final review, but if it’s officially approved it will be huge for real estate in Dorchester.  The development will be 307,000 square feet of mixed-use waterfront space overlooking Boston Harbor.  The list of waterfront outdoor spaces and facilities created for residential and public use is extensive, including a boathouse, a public fishing pier, the upgraded marina, a kayak launch, a refreshment stand, a boardwalk, a tidal garden, a game court, enhanced public access to the Neponset River and a potential pedestrian bridge link across Pine Neck Creek to Teenan Beach (Source: http://www.bldup.com/projects/18-ericsson-street).  The development’s three buildings will feature:

• 150 condominium residences
• A 25-room boutique hotel
• A 4,000 square-foot ground-floor restaurant
• Parking facilities with capacity for 185 cars and 152 bicycles available to both residents and the public

1120-1132 Washington Street

(Source: www.bldup.com)

This proposed development, which is also under final review, will certainly help with the supply of condos for sale in Dorchester if approved.  The mixed-use building would be located steps from the Neponset Greenway and the MBTA Red Line.  Here’s what it would entail:

• 57 one- to three-bedroom condominium residences, 7 of which would be designated affordable
• 3,600 square feet of ground floor commercial space
• Open space on site, including a lawn, a patio and a toddler play area
• 86 parking spaces for residents and 8 for the building’s commercial space, as well as bicycle storage 

There’s a transformative energy building in Boston’s largest and most diverse neighborhood, and it’s sure to have an impact on the area’s desirability, and in turn, real estate in Dorchester.  The key for city planners and officials will be to find the right balance between helping the neighborhood reach it’s full potential, and maintaining the rich culture and affordability it currently offers.  One thing’s for certain, if you’re looking for real estate in Boston, condos in Dorchester are sure to yield significant return on investment in both the short, and the long term.