Mayor Menino Marks Construction Start for
Renovation of Historic Hotel Dartmouth

Affordable Housing, Rehabbed Landmark to Further Dudley Square’s Renewal

May 8, 2003 – Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino marked the construction start for the renovation of the historic Hotel Dartmouth into affordable housing and commercial space. The long-vacant hotel, at the intersection of Warren and Dudley streets in Roxbury, is one of Dudley Square’s best-known landmarks.

"The revitalization of Dudley Square is going strong," said Mayor Menino. "And I am proud that the Hotel Dartmouth, a real landmark, will be brought back to productive use. When this building is restored, it will be a place that everyone will be proud to call home."

Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, a NeighborWorks organization, will renovate the building into 65 units of affordable rental housing and storefront commercial space. The $18.3 million project will create 45 residential units on the three upper floors of the Hotel Dartmouth, which have been vacant and boarded up for over 30 years, and add 20 units in a four-story annex.

The new housing will include 25 studio units, six loft apartments (artist units), and 34 one-bedroom units. Forty-five units will be affordable to households with incomes below 60% of area median; 13 units will be leased to households with incomes between 60-80% of area median; and seven units will be affordable to households between 80% and 110% of area median income. In addition, ground floor retail space will be renovated with some new construction, and will be approximately 11,000 square feet when completed.

"The City of Boston and Fleet share a strong commitment to revitalizing Boston’s neighborhoods through the strategic redevelopment of Dudley Square," said Mike Hatfield of Fleet, which is providing the lead construction loan for the project. "The historic renovation of the Dartmouth Hotel builds upon the mayor’s solid record of continued commitment to the community and is an example of Fleet’s investment in this vital and culturally rich neighborhood."

"We are delighted and excited to start construction on this beautiful historic property providing affordable housing and economic development to Dudley Square," said Nuestra’s Evelyn Friedman.

The Hotel Dartmouth project will utilize a variety of federal, state and local funding, including the federal historic preservation and low-income housing tax credits. Funding is provided by Department of Neighborhood Development (Neighborhood Housing Division, $1,250,000, and Office of Business Development, $250,000), Fleet Bank ($8,600,000), Tax Credit Equity ($7,078,000), Massachusetts Housing Partnership ($4,800,000), Neighborhood Housing Trust ($500,000), Department of Housing and Community Development ($500,00 HIF/$750,000 HOME/$620,000 FCF), Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation ($925,000), FHLB ($313,000), MassDevelopment ($217,500), Massachusetts Affordable Housing Trust ($1,000,000), Henderson Foundation ($150,000), and Charlesbank Foundation ($35,000).

Mayor Menino was joined by Charlotte Golar Richie, Boston housing chief and director, Department of Neighborhood Development; Mike Hatfield, director of commercial real estate, Fleet Community Investment Group; Jane Gumble, executive director, Department of Housing and Community Development; Thomas Gleason, executive director, MassHousing; Clark Ziegler, executive director, Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP); Michael Hogan, Mass Development; Michael Gondek, executive director, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC); Joseph Flatley, Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation; Charles Grigsby, The Life Initiative; Dewitt "Dick" Jones, president and chief operating officer, Boston Community Capital; Mathew Thall, senior program director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation; Sharon Anderson, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and local residents.

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