Why are we developing Columbia Crossing?

Columbia Crossing is being developed in response to community needs in Upham’s Corner. The project was designed to expand access to both affordable housing and affordable commercial space at a time when rising costs are displacing residents, small businesses, and community-serving organizations.

In addition to creating 100% income-restricted housing, the development will provide below-market commercial space to support local artists and a local nonprofit organization. This is especially important in Boston’s increasingly unaffordable commercial market, which often excludes businesses owned by and serving communities of color.

This project advances a long-standing community vision to strengthen Upham’s Corner as an Arts & Innovation District. By rehabilitating the historic Dorchester Savings Bank building and creating new space for arts and community use, Columbia Crossing will honor the neighborhood’s cultural history while creating new opportunities for gathering, creativity, and economic development.

What will the construction scope consist of?

Columbia Crossing will transform the existing site into an approximately 64,000 square foot, 6-story, mixed-use development. The project will include new construction of 48 all-electric residential rental units, income-restricted to be affordable to households earning 80% AMI to 30% AMI or less, and associated amenity space, 19 parking spaces, and adaptive rehabilitation of the Dorchester Savings Bank building into an approximately 3,500 square feet Community Service Facility, which will be occupied by a community-serving non-residential tenant.

The Dorchester Savings Bank Hall’s historic façade will be restored and the interior of the Bank Hall rehabilitated.  An existing side addition will be demolished and replaced with new construction of a glass structure called the “Glow Box”. Both of these components will make up the commercial ground floor space that will be leased to a local arts organization.  An existing rear addition to the bank building will be demolished and the new residences and a ground floor parking level will be constructed. As part of the project, streetscape and landscaping improvements will be made to enhance the surrounding area.

The design will prioritize quality, sustainability, and compatibility with the existing neighborhood, with the goal of creating a safe and welcoming development for future residents and the broader community.

When will the project start, and when will it be completed?

Construction will begin in April 2026 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with the first residents able to move in by early 2028.

How many units are there, and who can live in the new apartments?

The 48 homes will be available to a range of households, ranging from those earning less than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) to those earning up to 80% of AMI. The income tier distributions are as follows:

• 10 units restricted to households at or below 30% AMI
• 6 units restricted to households at or below 50% AMI
• 22 units restricted to households at or below 60% AMI
• 10 units restricted to households at or below 80% AMI

The apartments will be leased through a lottery system administered by our management company, POAH Communities.