With a full complement of onsite clinical, behavioral health, and family services and a variety of mixed-income and permanent supportive apartment homes for different veteran populations, including families and formerly homeless, the new community is one of the largest veterans’ developments nationwide, and the first such complex of this scale to open in Boston since World War II.
The Residences at Brighton Marine combines a new six storey building with an adapted historic structure to form a 1.44 acre campus with 11 studio apartments, 47 one bedroom units, 33 two-bedrooms, and 11 three bedroom homes.
The project provides for a diverse economic mix, with 11 of the development's units are set aside for households earning 30% of the area median income (AMI), with 59 units at 60% of the AMI, 10 units at 80% of the AMI, and the remaining 22 units at 120% of the AMI.
Situated just blocks from a local job centre and public transit, the LEED Gold-certified community is also ideally suited for veterans entering the workforce. It expands an existing campus of support services operated by Brighton Marine, and complements the group’s initiatives helping homeless veterans and their families find needed funds for security deposits, rent, outstanding utility bills, and moving expenses.
The design for the Residences at Brighton Marine creates a comforting, enjoyable environment favoring inspiration over the typical institutional character commonplace in similar communities. It was inspired by the neighbourhood’s historic architecture, particularly the animated bay fronts that characterise nearby streets.
In its design and planning, the Residences at Brighton Marine is an important case study in supportive housing that addresses the diverse needs of veterans and their families, and everyone at TAT is proud to have helped create a new home at Brighton Marine for those who have proudly served our country and those currently serving. The variety in apartment type and size is rare for veterans’ communities, which are most often geared towards individuals rather than families. Even more important, the project shows how thoughtfully designed, cost-effective facilities can deliver environments that are welcoming and respectful of place, giving residents and neighbours a sense of dignity and feeling of home.
E. Bradford, AIA, NCARB LEED AP, Associate, TAT