Completed Projects
The properties listed below are Transit Oriented Development or other projects that TRA has already completed. For information on development opportunities and properties that are currently out for bid, and to sign up for the MBTA Bid List, see the Sales & Leases page.
Ashmont Station, Boston
Arborpoint at Woodland Station, Newton
Avenir (Parcel 1A), North Station, Boston
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashmont Station |
 |
This parcel originally consisted of 30,000 square feet of land and was an underutilized employee parking lot located at the aging Ashmont Station which provides a bus terminus and Red Line rapid transit stop. Upon completion of station design including bus and auto circulation around the station, it was determined that an additional 17,000 square feet of land could be made available and enhance the development potential of the project.
The MBTA had plans to modernize the station and realign the bus turnaround. In working with the community it determined that a TOD project at the station would meet community goals and generate important non-fare revenues that could help offset the capital costs of the improvements.
An RFP was drafted, and the public bid process resulted in the designation of an 85 year lease transaction with Trinity Financial . There is tremendous community support for this TOD project which includes 74 units of affordable housing with first floor retail and parking. The MBTA collected $1.425 Million as the single up-front lease payment for the development rights.
The transaction closed in April of 2006 and construction was completed in March 2008. The residential units are 75% occupied and the retail component will be 75% occupied by Fall 2008.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arborpoint at Woodland Station
Arborpoint at Woodland Station is a “friendly 40b” (Massachusetts high density/affordable/mixed housing project) Transit-Oriented Development incorporating 180 rental apartment units with 25% affordable units and a structured parking garage. Prepayment of the $4,300,000 Ground Lease Payments allowed for the construction of a 548 unit parking garage, new entrance road, and redesigned handicapped accessible station platform, expanding the overall parking by 100 spaces. The MBTA parking garage and housing development are completed. The housing project is 95% leased.
 |
Arborpoint serves as one of the more successful TOD projects in the state. New facilities for the MBTA have been developed while providing for housing located at the Transit location. |
| Significant savings have been achieved by contracting the work through the private construction firm. The overall project came in about 5% over budget. This is remarkable due to significant increased construction costs during the project. The project operating agreement calls for sharing the costs of maintenance of the entry road and the landscaping, reducing the long-term maintenance obligations of the MBTA at this location. The MBTA can recapture some of its financial contributions through increased parking fees generated by the garage. |
 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avenir (Parcel 1A), Boston
After a long term community process involving the Downtown North Association and the Bulfinch Triangle Development Advisory Committee, the MBTA offered to lease a 1.18 acre parcel over the Green and Orange Lines’ North Station stops across Causeway St. from the TD Banknorth Garden.
Based on a public bid, the MBTA concluded a 99 year air rights year lease with Trinity Financial and Archstone-Smith. The agreement will result in the replacement of a dilapidated one-story office building by a mixed-use rental project consisting of approximately 241 rental apartment units, almost 30,000 square feet of street-level retail space, and 116 structured parking spaces.
 |
The local community strongly supports this project. Construction has begun. |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------