Group proposes 49 affordable apartments for seniors on grounds of Allston's last Baptist church, which will be turned into a community center

The Allston Brighton Community Development Corp. today filed plans to build a four-story, 49-unit apartment building on North Harvard Street at Coolidge Road in Allston, next to the former Hill Memorial Baptist Church, which will be turned into a " a programmed resident and community space."

All of the apartments would be rented to senior citizens making no more than 60% of the Boston area median income, according to the plans submitted to the Boston Planning Department. A "distressed" single-family home would be torn down to make way for the new housing and for a 15-car parking lot.

In designing the project, great care was given to preserving the church structure and maintaining its prominence along North Harvard Street. Maximization of the distance between the church steeple and the residential component is a top design priority, alongside backing the residential component off Easton Street to maintain the visibility of the church along the Easton Street neighborhood. The design includes the installation of landscaping shared with the public along North Harvard Street, including the creation of an overhead canopy and trees which are positioned to provide shade and shelter to benches proximate to the bus stop, improving the commuting experience for bus riders

The non-profit group bought the church in December, several months after it was last used for services. The church was built in 1903.

279-283 North Harvard St. filings and meeting schedule.