• Campus contains three well-designed residential buildings
• Great potential for reuse as elderly housing or charter school
Historic Boston Incorporated 1999 Preservation Revolving Fund Casebook : Property
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| Home for Aged Couples | Jamaica Plain |
| • Turn-of-the-century
institution for the elderly located on spacious grounds of a former country estate • Campus contains three well-designed residential buildings • Great potential for reuse as elderly housing or charter school |
|
| Name: Home for Aged Couples | Bldg SqFt: 50,070 | Lot SqFt: 121,117 | |
| Address: 409 Walnut Street | Ward: 11 | Parcel: 1588 | |
| Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain | Zoning: Multifamily Residential Subdistrict (MFR) | ||
| Year Built: 1892-1927 | Use: Mostly vacant | ||
| Style: Georgian Revival; Jacobethan Revival | Condition: Fair | ||
| Architect(s): James A. Fox (Georgian Revival) | Owner: Forward Inc. c/o Council of Elders 2055 Columbus Avenue Roxbury, MA 02119 |
||
| Historic Certification: National Register eligible | |||
| FY99 Building Assessment: $675,000 FY02 Building Assessment: $749,000 |
FY99 Tax: N/A FY02 Tax: N/A |
||
| FY99 Land Assessment: $794,500 FY02 Building Assessment: $1,134,000 |
Tax Status: Exempt | ||
Preservation Strategy:
The preservation community should monitor progress in developing a plan for continuing uses of this building. At this time, there seems to be no need for an adaptive re-use: both the owner, the Council of Elders, and its agent, Rogerson Communities, are charities established to carry out missions focused upon providing housing and supporting services to people who can no longer live at home.
Significance:
Roxbury merchant and philanthropist Edward D. Rice, who died in 1887, bequeathed his estate to several local charitable organizations for the development of the Home for Aged Couples. Begun in 1892, this institution exemplifies the many benevolent institutions built for the poor by both the city and many of its wealthier residents around the turn of the twentieth century. The former estate at the corner of Columbus Avenue and Walnut Street across from Franklin Park provided a spacious setting for three major buildings and a landscaped lawn with walkways, puddingstone retaining walls, and numerous shade trees. The distinguished residential building fronting on Columbus Avenue, built in 1910, is a fine example of the Jacobethan style designed by Boston architect James A. Fox.
Preservation Challenges:
The original owner gave this building to the Council of Elders in the early 1980's after moving its retirement home to a suburban community. By the end of 1998, Forward, Inc., a subsidiary of the Council of Elders, had ceased providing services or lodging to senior citizens in two out of three buildings at this site. However, heat and security still seem to be maintained, so that the buildings have not begun the downward spiral of deterioration evident at the Boston Sanatorium (see entry on page 67).
In January 1999, the Council of Elders engaged the Rogerson Communities to manage the property and conceptualize a package of assisted living services which could be housed at this site and to identify the sources of capital and operating funds needed to put the site back into service.
Neighborhood Context:
The Home for Aged Couples is located on the edge of a primarily residential neighborhood within walking distance of the Egleston Square commercial district. Franklin Park is across Walnut Street from the property. The Egleston Square Branch Library and a modern high-rise residential facility for the elderly are across Columbus Avenue.
Other Sources of Information:
Boston Landmarks Commission inventory form
Entry Completed: 06/25/1999
Rogerson Communities is proposing to rehabilitate all three buildings and construct a new four-story building at the rear of the property. The proposed project will result in 89 apartments for elderly residents, 38 enhanced single room occupancy units for individuals with mental health problems, and 12,500-15,000 sq. ft. of non-profit office space. The new construction is designed to minimize the impact on the historic buildings and the surrounding streetscape. Project design is currently at the preliminary schematic stage, and initial BRA review has begun. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2003 or 2004. The project enjoys support from neighborhood organizations, and it will utilize a variety of federal, state, and local funding, including the federal historic preservation tax credit. Estimated Cost: $22+ million.Update Entry Completed: 07/30/2002