About the Project

Project Place began the conception of GateHouse in March 2004 when the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) issued a request for proposals for a 4,326 square foot parcel of land at the corner of East Berkeley and Washington Streets. The site was on an underutilized parking lot, often cluttered with garbage and debris, but when several staff and Board members from Project Place went to view the area, they envisioned much more. This small and vacant piece of property along Washington Street held the promise for the agency of a new home that could respond to the many growing needs of the organization. At the same time it was located in the South End where Project Place could maintain its roots of almost four decades.

After a rigorous neighborhood process and with support from the community and public officials, the BRA completed its review and Project Place was extended the opportunity to develop the site in July of 2004. Project Place's plans for the site include erecting a six-story structure with full basement that will house 14 units of affordable efficiency housing on the top two floors; program space for Project Place including a commercial kitchen, dining room, conference room, classroom space, computer-training center and employee workspace; and retail restaurant space to be occupied by Joanne Chang. GateHouse will allow Project Place to advance its mission of working with Boston-area homeless men and women and will serve three primary purposes:

• To allow Project Place, for the first time, to supply low income housing for men and women who have graduated from programs such as its own, and who are currently enrolled in or a graduate of a work training program.

• To provide Project Place with a new home for its staff, programs and social enterprises, including Project Pepsi, HomePlate and Clean Corners... Bright Hopes, allowing them to expand and better serve the needs of homeless and low-income men and women.

• To enable Project Place to significantly contribute to the Washington Gateway District by replacing an empty lot with a beautifully designed and environmentally friendly building, offering a new restaurant to the area's growing population, creating 60 new jobs within the first five years of operation and providing new community space for meetings and social gatherings.

GateHouse Funding

Financing for GateHouse is well established. With support of the City Department of Neighborhood Development in the current funding round, GateHouse broke ground in fall 2005 and should be complete in the winter of 2006. Through a combination of tax credits, financing from government grants and the sale of its 32 Rutland Street property, Project Place has raised over $8.35 million, over 75 percent of the $11 million needed. In order to successfully build the GateHouse, Project Place needs your help in supporting its first-ever capital campaign to raise the remaining $2.5 million.