About 2072 Mass Ave Meet the Team

2072 Mass Ave

Frequently Asked Questions

(Updated 03/23/2020)

Capstone Communities and Hope Real Estate Enterprises

Sean D. Hope, a third generation Cantabrigian, is the founder and principal of Hope Real Estate Enterprises LLC in Central Square, Cambridge. Sean has leveraged his experience as a Land Use attorney and former member of the Cambridge Zoning Board in partnership with Capstone Communities LLC to develop Port Landing, a 20 apartment 100% affordable housing development at 131 Harvard Street in The Port and Frost Terrace, a 100% affordable development at 1791 Massachusetts Avenue in Porter Square (currently under construction).

Sean is deeply committed to improving the quality of life for Cambridge residents through his work with the Margaret Fuller Neighborhood house, Cambridge Children and Family Services (CFCS), and the Cambridge Historical Society.

Jason Korb is the principal of Capstone Communities LLC where he has developed market rate, mixed income, and 100% affordable housing. Since founding Capstone in October 2010, Jason has successfully completed a total of $60,000,000 in development transactions in Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Newton and Brockton Massachusetts. Prior to forming Capstone, Jason was the Vice President of Acquisitions at Beacon Communities LLC, a developer, owner, and manager of over 10,000 apartment homes.

Jason is a Director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Association and was formerly a Director of Caritas Communities and the Vice-Chair of Preservation Massachusetts.

Capstone and Hope purchased the 2072 Mass Ave site in 2018 for $3.6 million utilizing loan proceeds from the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust.

 

General Information

What is the proposed mix of apartments?

The development proposal includes 48 apartments, including 16 one-bedrooms, 20 two-bedrooms, and 12 three-bedrooms. The apartments will be on floors 2-9. With over 67% two- and three-bedroom apartments, 2072 Mass Ave will provide desperately needed affordable housing to families.

FLOORS

Floors 2-5 Floors 7-9

floor 6.jpg

Floor 6

What will be located on the first floor and basement?

The building’s first floor will include retail and residential entrances fronting Massachusetts Avenue. The residential entrance will include a large lobby, a management office, and resident amenity space. The corner of Mass Ave and Walden Street will include approximately 1,000sf of retail space that will be programmed for a community-oriented retailer at modest rents. A vehicular entrance off Walden Street will provide access to three (3) handicap accessible parking spaces and two (2) short-term drop off/pick up parking spaces.

ground floor plan.jpg

Ground Floor Plan

The building’s basement includes bicycle storage and mechanical rooms.

4.PNG

What is the building’s height and number of stories? Will someone be able to see the rooftop mechanical equipment?

The height to the top of the building’s parapet facing Mass Ave is approximately 102’ and the rear five (5) story portion is approximately 60.0’. The rooftop mechanical equipment will not be visible from the public way.

Since the building is oriented to families, where will kids be able to play?

The building includes a large indoor amenity space on the first floor that will be programmed for children. In addition, the fifth-floor roof will support a flexible outdoor space that may safely accommodate an open children’s play area. There are also public playgrounds and parks in the area, including the play yard at St. James Church one block from the site, which will be available to the public during specific hours.

There is significant vacant retail space on Mass Ave, is retail the only way the ground floor can be activated?

The site is in the Massachusetts Avenue Overlay District (MAOD) which requires ground floor retail/active uses to help activate the streetscape and support the other small businesses along the Porter Square and north Mass Ave corridor. The size and layout of the proposed retail space at 2072 Mass Ave is intended to be consistent with the standards for ground floor retail spaces and will allow for flexibility to accommodate a range of allowed uses. Additionally, the project’s Comprehensive Permit Waiver List requests flexibility so that the retail space, if unsuccessful, may also be used for building amenity and or function space.

What are the plans for Darul Kabab, the current restaurant?

The development team has been working with Darul Kabab through COVID-19 and it is anticipated that it will be allowed to remain as a tenant until its lease expiration at the end of 2021.

 

Affordable Housing

What is the demand for affordable housing in Cambridge?

There has been overwhelming demand for affordable housing in Cambridge for many decades and COVID-19 has resulted in an even sharper increase in the need for affordable housing. As of September 28, 2020, the Cambridge Housing Authority has 20,703 unique applicants across all of CHA’s waiting lists (32 total). 7,102 (34%) of applicants indicate they live or work in Cambridge or are a veteran. Per the CHA’s mobile voucher waitlist only (12,081 applicants on waitlist) there are 5,657 applicants for one-bedrooms, 4,086 applicants for two-bedrooms, and 2,352 applicants for 3 bedrooms or larger. Of applicants that qualify for a local preference (applicants that live and/or work in Cambridge), there are 2,464 applicants for one-bedrooms, 1,325 applicants for two-bedrooms, and 732 applicants for 3-bedrooms or larger.

Homeowner’s Rehab recently leased up The Finch and had 2,261 applicants for 98 affordable apartments. Capstone and Hope’s Port Landing had 1,386 applicants for 20 affordable apartment units. The property management team at Frost Terrace, Capstone and Hope’s newest development leasing up in Porter Square, estimates that the project will have 4,000 – 5,000 applicants for 40 apartments.

What is considered affordable housing in the context of 2072 Mass Ave?

Affordable housing typically includes apartments that limit household income to at or below 30%, 50% and 60% of the area median income (AMI). For 2020, the adjusted gross income limits in Cambridge for a family of four range from $38,370 to $76,740. For 2020, three-bedroom monthly rents (including all utilities) would range from $997 to $1,995, and two-bedroom monthly rents would range from $864 to $1,728. HUD annually updates these rents and incomes.

If someone has very little income but significant assets, could they qualify to live at 2072 Mass Ave?

No. For purposes of qualifying residents to live in the building, income is imputed from assets in addition to being calculated in more standard ways, such as from W2s, 1099s, etc.

How long will the apartments be restricted as affordable housing?

The apartments at 2072 Mass Ave will be affordable in perpetuity.

How would I apply for an apartment home at 2072 Mass Ave?

If the project is approved, approximately six months prior to the project being completed, the property management team will distribute applications for a public lottery for the apartment homes at 2072 Mass Ave. There will be a 60-day application period during which time applications for the lottery are accepted. If you are looking for an affordable apartment home now, the development team’s Frost Terrace Apartments, also in Porter Square, is currently accepting applications. Visit www.FrostTerApts.com for more information.

Do Cambridge residents or household members who work in Cambridge have priority for any of the apartments?

Subject to state and City approval, 70% of the affordable homes would be set-aside for current Cambridge residents and those who work in Cambridge. The City of Cambridge requires the maximum amount of local preference which is capped at 70% by state and federal funders.

Why are all of the apartments rental and not ownership?

A significant portion of the development’s funding sources include the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a federal subsidy that requires the development to be rental housing.

 

Sustainability

What does it mean that the development will be Passive House (PHIUS+) certified?

Pursuant to phius.org:[1] Passive building comprises a set of design principles used to attain a quantifiable and rigorous level of energy efficiency within a specific quantifiable comfort level. "Optimize your gains and losses" based on climate summarizes the approach. To that end, a passive building is designed and built in accordance with these five building-science principles: 

  • Employs continuous insulation throughout its entire envelope without any thermal bridging.

  • The building envelope is extremely airtight, preventing infiltration of outside air and loss of conditioned air.

  • Employs high-performance windows (double or triple-paned windows depending on climate and building type) and doors - solar gain is managed to exploit the sun's energy for heating purposes in the heating season and to minimize overheating during the cooling season.

  • Uses some form of balanced heat- and moisture-recovery ventilation.

  • Uses a minimal space conditioning system. 

Passive building principles can be applied to all building typologies – from single-family homes to multifamily apartment buildings, offices, and skyscrapers. 

Passive design strategy carefully models and balances a comprehensive set of factors including heat emissions from appliances and occupants to keep the building at comfortable and consistent indoor temperatures throughout the heating and cooling seasons. As a result, passive buildings offer tremendous long-term benefits in addition to energy efficiency: 

  • Superinsulation and airtight construction provide unmatched comfort even in extreme weather conditions.

  • Continuous mechanical ventilation of fresh filtered air provides superb indoor air quality. 

  • A comprehensive systems approach to modeling, design, and construction produces extremely resilient buildings. 

  • Passive building principles offer the best path to Net Zero and Net Positive buildings by minimizing the load that renewables are required to provide. 

Visit phius.org for more information on Passive House.

In addition to PHIUS+, what other sustainability measures will the building incorporate?

The proposal includes significant and broad sustainability measures. The building will include a rooftop solar array, a green roof on the ninth-floor roof, EV charging stations, EnergyStar appliances, LED lighting throughout, building materials with fewer toxins and chemicals than traditional materials, solar shades at the rear façade, large fenestration for natural light, and raised gardens and native trees and shrubs on the fifth floor’s roof that will be accessible to residents.

[1] https://www.phius.org/what-is-passive-building/passive-house-principles

 

Exterior Design

How was the proposed height and density determined?

The development team based the proposed density and Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) on adjacent and nearby properties and its proximity to Mass Ave and Porter Square. The nearby properties include the adjacent six (6) story, 60’ Russell Apartments; the five story, 68’ Henderson Carriage House directly across Mass Ave; and the eight (8) story, 71’ building located at 2130 Mass Ave. It also noted the nine (9) story, 85’ Northview Condominiums building located at 2353 Massachusetts Avenue. The development’s architects designed the building in the context of the property fronting onto Mass Ave (the busiest street in Cambridge) and is 0.3 miles from Porter Square, which offers numerous amenities within a short walking distance to the building’s future residents.

Where does the building cast its shadow?

The proposed building primarily casts its shadows to the north and northeast across Massachusetts Avenue throughout the year, having minimal impact on the residential neighborhood located behind the proposed site along Walden Street. Please refer to the supplementary shadow studies package for more details.

How was the building’s design developed?

The development’s design balances a complex set of contextual priorities, which have arisen from analysis, community meetings, and various meetings with the City of Cambridge Urban Planning, Community Development and Traffic and Parking teams. The design goals are:

Create a high-quality affordable housing apartment community for families in Cambridge

The design reflects its context, a strong corner on Cambridge’s main street.  The building massing is slender, allowing for light and air for all apartment homes.  The site is linked to amenities and services in this walkable neighborhood and the unit interiors are simple, but elegant.

Create significant transparency: Activate the streetscape

A primary design goal is to maintain transparency at street level to facilitate visual connections and to activate the streetscape. The first floor along Mass Ave will be wrapped with transparent storefront glazing and will include both the retail and residential entryway. The residential entryway will be pushed back to create a more pedestrian-scaled experience for residents. The storefront turns the corner onto Walden St and continues along with transparency into the retail and resident amenity spaces. An entrance limited to parking and a services area is hidden on the rear part of the site. 

Shaping: Building Form

The building consists of two interconnected volumes – a nine (9) story volume on Massachusetts Avenue and a five (5) story volume at the rear. Along Massachusetts Avenue and West along Walden Street, the nine-story suspended aluminum clad volume is clad in light colored anodized aluminum / zinc vertical panels with a staggered pattern, creating a light and airy volume that floats above one story of recessed storefront glazing.  The mass of the building has a strong corner presence that is visible from the street intersection and a grid of openings accentuates the volume, incorporating large windows which provide natural daylight into the interior units, as well as vertical infill composite panels that resemble wood, bringing warmth and texture. The building steps down to a five (5) story residential anchor towards the rear of the site in response to the transition between the denser urban corridor along Massachusetts Avenue to the residential neighborhood lining Walden St. On the roof of the fifth floor, a landscaped roof terrace will provide amenity space for the enjoyment of residents, while also providing opportunities for green plantings that liven the building’s appearance from the surrounding context.

Human Scale:  Material Palette

The residential anchor consists of a materials palette that relates to the surrounding residential buildings. The brick plinth / base is located on the ground floor, most prominently at the residential entry which is recessed along Mass Ave, adjacent to the retail space and bus shelter. The crafted long brick at street levels enlivens the pedestrian experience and allows for interactions as the wall angles back and forth. This culminates in a gradient of increasingly frequent openings that also serve as visibility into the parking area, as well as creating ventilation. Above the parking entry, the brick is oriented vertically as a contemporary response to the traditional lintel approach, while highlighting the playfulness of the material.

5.PNG

Above the brick plinth, painted clapboard comprises the main field of the body. Proportionately sized and spaced windows bordered by a trim are located along all orientations of the residential anchor. On the south elevations, each window has an infill panel below, clad in a lighter colored shingle panel to provide an accent from the main field, as well as to give the perception of the same proportions compared to windows on the north and west facades. In addition, solar shades are proposed on the South façade that not only livens the rhythm of the façade, but also serves a functional purpose of providing shade to reduce the building’s overall energy consumption. The top of the residential anchor is defined by a cornice band of half-round shingles.

6.PNG

There is a mature existing tree on the property line between 2050 and 2072 Mass Ave. Will the development team attempt to save this tree?

The 12” diameter at breast height (DBH) Littleleaf linden has been reviewed by the development team’s master arborist, Daniel Cathcart, who believes the tree can be retained. Mr. Cathcart drafted a tree protection plan that will be incorporated into the development’s construction plans.

Electrical transformers in new developments in Porter Square have been placed in conspicuous locations and have reduced visible green space and are unattractive. What steps are the development team taking to conceal the building’s transformer?

Pursuant to discussions with Eversource, the electrical transformer has been allocated sufficient space in an enclosed vault under the parking area so that it will not be visible nor will it impede any of the building’s amenities.

The development team was aware of this issue at Frost Terrace and located that project’s transformer below the front yard and fully out of view.

Since the rooftop amenity space will be accessible to the residents, how will you ensure safety for all?

Safety from the distinct dangers presented by a recreational space on a rooftop is paramount for residents, operational staff, and pedestrians on the street.  All current best-practices will be employed to create pleasing, yet effective barriers, for users of all ages and abilities, that meet or exceed building codes.

 

Interior Design

Will the apartments be duplexes, flats, etc.?

All of the apartments will be flats.

How will the interior of the apartments and common areas be finished?

The apartments and common areas will be modern with contemporary fixtures. Below are photographs from the development team’s Port Landing development at 131 Harvard Street that was completed in 2016 and renderings from the development team’s Frost Terrace development at 1791 Mass Ave that will be completed in spring 2021. The finishes at 2072 Mass Ave will be similar in quality and appearance but will also express the proposal’s unique character.

7.PNG

Will the apartments be accessible to individuals with mobility and sensory difficulties?

All of the apartments will be designed in accordance with the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board 521 CMR 5.00 Group 1 standards that require accessible routes throughout an apartment and include features that can be modified without structural change to meet the specific functional needs of an occupant with a disability. In addition, three (3) apartments will be fully accessible Group 2B units for individuals with mobility disabilities and one (1) apartment will be designed for individuals with sensory disabilities.

Will an elevator be provided?

One elevator will be provided.

What amenities will be in the building?

There will be an onsite management office that will be staffed part-time. In addition, there will be a resident community room where management will organize programming for families, seniors and children. The rear, fifth floor roof will support a flexible outdoor space that may safely accommodate an open children’s play area, raised gardens, native trees and shrubs, and unique programming opportunities for residents. There will be enclosed bicycle parking in the basement.

 

Ownership and Management

How are residents selected? Do current Cambridge residents have any priority?

Current Cambridge residents and certain others will have priority to apply to 70% of the apartments.

Resident screening will follow all federal and state fair housing laws in addition to the requirements specified by the Cambridge Community Development Department and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development.

Prior to construction completion, there will be a random public lottery that will determine the order in which future residents will be screened. The development team’s Frost Terrace apartment community is currently accepting applications for its lottery, visit www.FrostTerApts.com for more information.

Who will manage the community once it opens and for how long will you own the building?

Capstone and Hope will be hiring a professional property management company that specializes in multi-family affordable housing. Capstone and Hope opened the 100% affordable Port Landing apartment community in The Port (Cambridge) in 2016. Port Landing is currently managed by Trinity Management Company, a highly respected management company that currently manages over 6,000 market rate and affordable apartments and over 538,500 square feet of commercial space. Trinity Management is also managing the lease-up and management for Frost Terrace. Under the various affordable housing subsidy programs, Capstone and Hope are required to own 2072 Mass Ave for a period of no less than 10-15 years after the development is completed. This long-term ownership requirement ensures that Capstone and Hope have a vested interest in constructing a high quality and sustainable apartment community.

 

Parking and Transportation

The proposal includes only 3 onsite parking spaces and 2 short-term drop off spaces, will residents have cars and where will they park?

The development’s parking consultant, VAI, estimates that the building’s residents will have approximately 25 vehicles. VAI surveyed the surrounding streets within ¼ mile of the site and determined that there are a total of 928 parking spaces. At the peak demand time of 12pm, there were 281 available parking spaces. Click here to review the parking study.

What will the developer do to reduce residents’ dependence on cars?

Management will employ traffic demand measures (TDM) that include 1) designating an on-site employee as the site’s Transportation Coordinator to oversee marketing and promoting of transportation options at the site, 2) providing new residents transportation information packets with information on getting around Cambridge sustainably, 3) installing real-time transit display screen in the lobby to make it simpler for residents, visitors, and employees to access real-time transit and BLUEbikes availability information in the area. The screens will also post other useful information on single occupancy modes of travel, such as carpool/vanpool to supermarkets, etc., 4) subsidizing 100 percent of the cost of a MBTA T pass for employees (building property managers/maintenance staff) or $240 annual reimbursement for bike maintenance for employees who choose to commute by bike, 5) organizing orientation sessions with residents to teach biking rules, safe biking measures, basic maintenance and repairs and help identify bike routes to various locations, 6) Bicycle racks and a bicycle “Fix-it” station will be provided on-site, 7) annually, upon initial move-in and lease renewal, residents will be offered the choice of: 1. annual BLUEbikes membership (including one-time discounted helmet through bluebikes), 2. $90 credit for ride share service, 3. 1-month adult MBTA Monthly LinkPass, and/or 4. 3-month Student or Senior Monthly LinkPass. This will be provided PER RESIDENT (not per household) on an annual basis.

The above strategies will encourage non-auto travel by the residents.

Will bicycle parking be provided?

Covered and accessible bike parking will be provided in the building’s basement. 48 long-term and three (3) tandem bicycle parking spaces will be provided in a separate bicycle room, which is fully compliant with the City’s zoning code.

The intersection at Mass Ave and Walden Street is congested and difficult to navigate. What will the proposal do to improve the intersection?

The portion of Walden Street adjacent to the 2072 Mass Ave is unusually narrow for a three-lane street. Currently Walden Street is ~26’-8”, with a ~10’-0” travel lane outbound from Massachusetts Avenue and two ~8’-4” travel lanes inbound. This constriction slows traffic moving through the intersection, makes turns difficult, and does not align with best practices and guidelines.

The proposed design includes the widening of Walden Street from ~26’-8” to 30’-0”. This is achieved by locating the exterior walls of the ground floor ~4’-0” inside the property line and then granting an easement to the City for a sidewalk in that area, resulting in three (3) 10’-0” travel lanes and making a more spacious street condition. The proposed design also improves the sidewalk by widening it from its current ~6’-5” width to be ~7’-2” wide, both measurements are inclusive of the curb. The proposed upper floors of the new building overhang the sidewalk by ~3’-6” with an overhead clearance of ~13’-0”.

The opportunity to widen Walden Street and significantly relieve its congestion is only possible because the development team is providing a portion of the 2072 Mass Ave land (via an easement) to the public way.

9.PNG

The building will add additional vehicles to the currently constrained adjacent roadways, will this further exacerbate traffic?

The site is currently occupied by a fast-casual restaurant with curb cuts on Mass Ave and Walden Street. The restaurant generates more vehicle trips than the proposal, so the net impact to the roadways is reduced vehicle trips.

How will the short-term drop-off parking spaces be monitored so that residents do not stay for longer than the designated period?

The drop-off spaces will properly function only if they are constantly monitored. The development team is exploring the installation of devices that will alert management and a local towing company if a vehicle stays longer than permitted. The garage has been designed so that a tow truck can access the parking area and tow a vehicle.

Why are no street trees included in the proposal?

 The development team had hoped to add as many street trees as feasible; unfortunately, several electrical duct banks under the Mass Ave and Walden Street sidewalks prevent the planting of any street trees at these locations.

 

Permitting and Next Steps

What mechanism is being proposed to permit 2072 Mass Ave?

2072 Mass Ave is being proposed to be permitted through a Comprehensive Permit under MGL Chapter 40B. A Comprehensive Permit application permits an applicant to request all local permits through the Board of Zoning Appeal, including a request for any waivers from the underlying zoning.

The Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) was recently enacted, why is 2072 Mass Ave not permitting the project under the AHO?

The AHO is one of a number of tools to permit an affordable housing development in the City of Cambridge. The AHO would require setbacks and a lower height than currently proposed at 2072 Mass Ave. The development team believes that setbacks are not appropriate along Mass Ave (most of the adjacent buildings have no setbacks) and believes the proposed nine (9) stories along Mass Ave is appropriate and warranted at this location.

What steps have the development team taken to solicit feedback from the elderly residents at the adjacent Russell Apartments located at 2050 Mass Ave?

The development team has twice met with the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA), the owner and property manager of the Leonard J. Russell Apartments, to present the proposal and recent modifications and solicit feedback. The development team, in conjunction with CHA property management, have displayed renderings and other project information in the Russell lobby along with comment cards for residents to provide feedback. A Russell resident is also a formal liaison and is providing feedback to the development team on behalf of the Russell residents.

How has the development team solicited comments and feedback from the community?

By the time the proposal is presented to the Planning Board on December 1, the development team will have presented and solicited feedback at two (2) large virtual community meetings, two (2) Porter Square Neighbors Association virtual meetings, and many private virtual and phone meetings with direct abutters. In addition, the development team has responded to comments posted on this website and emails it has received from abutters.

What changes to the proposal have resulted from the community process?

The current plans reflect significant feedback from abutters, the neighborhood, and the City. These changes include but are not limited to:

  • Allocating of a portion of the 2072 land to the public way in the form of an easement so that each Walden Street vehicular travel lane can be widened to 10’ and so that the sidewalk adjacent to 2072 Mass Ave along Walden Street can also be widened;

  • Relocating the residential entrance from Walden Street to Mass Ave so that package delivery, ride shares, and pedestrian traffic will be oriented to busier Mass Ave;

  • Setting back the first floor of the building along Walden Street;

  • Angling the wall adjacent to the driveway along Walden Street back toward the building to provide additional pedestrian safety;

  • Adding street level landscaping planters at the garage entrance;

  • Reducing the height of the rear residential anchor from eight (8) stories to five (5) stories so that the building steps down to the residential community (the front floating cube increases to 9 stories along Mass Ave); and,

  • Adding a flexible outdoor space on the fifth-floor roof that may safely accommodate an open children’s play area, raised gardens, native trees and shrubs, and unique programming opportunities for residents.

When are public hearings scheduled for this proposal?

The Planning Board is scheduled to hear the proposal on December 1, 2020 and the Board of Zoning Appeal is slated to hear the proposal on December 10, 2020. Visit https://www.2072massaveapts.com/updates for details on these hearings.

If 2072 Mass Ave is approved by the Board of Zoning Appeal, when is the earliest construction could start?

If the proposal is approved by the Board of Zoning Appeal, the earliest the project could start would be in spring/summer 2022. The development would need to apply for and receive additional City and state financing resources before commencing construction. This process takes a minimum of 6-9 months but could take significantly longer.