131 North Beacon: Ownership Returns to Allston-Brighton

NB Development Group, EMBARC, and H+O are bringing a six-story ownership project to 131 North Beacon Street, within walking distance of the Boston Landing commuter rail station.

The development replaces a vacant one-story commercial building with 76 for-sale homes and ground floor retail, adding long-term ownership housing to a corridor where most recent development has been rental.

Reintroducing Homeownership

Allston Brighton has one of Boston’s lowest homeownership rates, and most new projects in the neighborhood have been built for renters. 131 North Beacon increases access to ownership in a transit-served location and supports the city’s housing goals.

The project includes:

• 76 condominium units from studios to three bedrooms
• 13 income restricted homes under Boston’s Inclusionary Development Policy
• A range of layouts, including larger homes not always found in infill projects

This mix provides more choice for households looking to put down roots in the neighborhood.

Street-Level Design with Density in Mind

EMBARC’s design uses stepped massing to reduce the building’s profile along North Beacon Street while keeping the density needed to support homeownership. At the ground floor, transparent retail frontage, recessed entries, and private balconies help activate the sidewalk and improve the pedestrian experience.

Public realm improvements include 2,870 square feet of retail, wider sidewalks, new street trees and updated hardscape, parking for 45 vehicles accessed from Hichborn Street, and parking for 92 bicycles.

These elements help shift the block from a car oriented industrial edge to a more connected residential corridor.

Structural Clarity from the Start

The building places retail and parking at grade with five residential levels above. Early structural coordination helped integrate these uses, maintain ceiling heights, and support efficient layouts.

Key areas of focus included:

• Managing load transfers over open retail bays
• Aligning structural grids with unit planning
• Optimizing floor-to-floor heights for cost and constructibility

This approach supported design development and kept the project aligned with feasibility targets.

A Streamlined Path Through Approvals

The Boston Planning and Development Agency approved 131 North Beacon in December 2023, with the Zoning Board of Appeals granting the required variances in May 2024. The project advanced through the public process with neighborhood support and without opposition at the ZBA hearing. Meeting affordability requirements and improving the streetscape were key factors in its approval.

Looking Ahead

131 North Beacon reflects a shift toward ownership-oriented infill in transit accessible neighborhoods. It adds new homes, supports walkability, and brings a long inactive site back into use.

Urban infill developments like 131 North Beacon succeed when budgets, design intent, and risk are controlled. With data-driven structural design, H+O aligns structure, cost, and constructability to deliver predictable outcomes from concept through completion.