BROOKLINE, Mass. — Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly (JCHE) has announced plans for a 62-unit affordable seniors housing community in Brookline, a town just southwest of downtown Boston.
The community, which has not yet been named, will be located in the dense, highly active neighborhood of Coolidge Corner. Construction is scheduled to begin in first-quarter 2019 for completion in summer 2020.
JCHE and synagogue Congregation Kehillath Israel (KI) are working together to create a multi-generational village center that simultaneously addresses the issues of social isolation and housing affordability. KI will lease space on its Harvard Street campus to JCHE to develop the property, which will be connected both physically and programmatically to the synagogue.
The plan also calls for involving students from KI’s pre-school and religious school, as well as the nearby Coolidge Corner School. The Town of Brookline Housing Advisory Board and Select Board are contributing program ideas and funding support to the project.
The community, located on a half-acre site, will also offer 1,000 square feet of retail space and a public pocket park. Although the property features no parking, the transit-oriented development is near to the MBTA Green Line and bus line, and also offers transportation via Zip Car, Brookline’s ElderBus service and JCHE’s van service.
“Integrating our Harvard Street campus into Coolidge Corner will not only add value to the neighborhood by providing a communal resource, it will help break down the mysterious and often unpleasant misperceptions many people have of senior communities,” said Amy Schectman, president & CEO JCHE. “Our ultimate goal is to create incredible interactive spaces in all of our buildings where people of all ages and backgrounds can envision themselves.”