IBA wins approval for new South End headquarters, community center and performance space; current HQ to become affordable housing

By adamg on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 11:17am

Rendering by Studio ENÉE.

The Zoning Board of Appeal this week approved plans by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción for a $25-million Center for the Arts, Self-Determination, and Activism at 85 West Newton St. in the South End.

The four-story building, with 65% more space than the current IBA buildings on Shawmut Avenue and San Juan Street, will include a two-story performance and event space, classrooms, community spaces, offices, conference rooms and a staff gym. It will replace a converted church that IBA had used until it tore it down in 2020 due to severe structural damage.

Roughly one year construction is expected to begin this fall, IBA says.

IBA, which started in the 1960s as part of a movement to fight South End gentrification, currently owns 667 apartments in the area. Once the new center opens, it hopes to convert its current buildings at 2 San Juan St. and 405 Shawmut Ave. into 45 to 55 new affordable apartments.

85 West Newton St. filings.
Boston Preservation Alliance overview of the demolition of the former church.

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Comments

And none the neighbors

By anon on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 1:24pm.

And none the neighbors objected or had any comments or concerns?

At least at the zoning hearing ...

By adamg on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 1:50pm.

No.

its about the same

By cybah on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 3:19pm.

well the W Newton facing side of the building is pretty much the same elevation and curb appeal as the church that was there before. So not much to fight, plus its a community center so everyone benefits.

And if you look at page 15 of this presentation it looks like just mere 5-7' taller than the surrounding buildings (and still under what the old church was). Zoning says 70', they are coming in at ~60' with utilities on the roof. (53' for the building itself).

Its just too bad they didn't buy the low rise building to the left on West Newton to complete the corner.

It's worth remembering that this site was the home

By MC Slim JB on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 3:45pm.

of an old church that had been converted into the Jorge Hernández Cultural Center (later renamed the Villa Victoria Performing Arts Center) that held events like concerts and plays and such going back to the mid-80s. So it's not a novel addition to the block, just a shinier, newer version of what had been there for decades. I loved that venue, glad to see something like it back in the neighborhood.