
09/22/2025
AlCo Auto Parts site planned for housing
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By Richard Heath
In a proverbial leap of faith, Karti Sabramanian of Patten Street is urging his Woodbourne neighbors to support a new housing proposal none have seen or heard of before.
All online.
On Friday, Sept. 5, Subramanian posted on the Woodbourne Neighborhood Association listserv his “short version” of the plan.
“A local developer Arx Urban has proposed a 47-unit affordable housing project on the site of AlCo Auto Parts on Hyde Park Ave. I’m putting together a letter of support to the city looking to include as many signatures from the neighbors as possible.
“Please show your support on this quick Google Form which includes the draft of the letter to the mayor’s office and the Boston Planning Department.”
A half-hour later Peg Preble, a Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) member and an Eastland Street resident responded, “Affordable housing sounds great, but can you forward any drawings or more details of the process?”
An hour later Amelia Onorata joined the listserv. “I won’t be signing. We’re always being told we need more housing but we don’t get a chance to determine what type of housing we need.”
Subramanian did not reply to The Bulletin about how he got the information.
“The developer is a local firm Arx Urban,” the long version message goes on, “who is also the developer of 4198 Washington St. in Roslindale [opposite Adams Park].
“It’s an affordable housing project making use of low income housing tax credits to develop units for a variety of income levels; the proposal is for six stories, 47 units and 18 parking spaces.
“The income-restricted units are priced for a range of people from those making 30 percent of area median income (AMI) to 60 percent.
“The owners of AlCo Auto Parts are strongly in support and in fact, initiated the process with the developer.
“There won’t be any ground-floor retail but they ate planning to include a community room; work space on the street level side.
“If you believe that we need more affordable housing near transit, not just to give people shelter but also to address sprawl please sign this quick Google Form to show your support.”
The Bulletin called Benjie Moll of Arx later. He was glad there was support for his plans but confused as to how the news got out.