Mattapan Garage Site Eyed for 105 Affordable Homes
Renters seeking income-restricted units in Mattapan should watch for future lottery and eligibility announcements as financing takes shape.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Residential
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The McKeen family sold the 1590 Blue Hill Ave. garage property in Mattapan for $8.75 million this week. The nearly 1.6-acre site is slated for a 105-unit income-restricted housing project.
Why it matters
Boston residents looking for affordable homes gain a new project on a long-occupied auto site, which the approved zoning along the Mattapan thoroughfare encourages. The $72.3 million estimated cost and the financing timeline mean the homes are still years from opening.
The 1.6-acre site will hold a 6-story, 120,000 square-foot building with 105 income-restricted units, 1,000 square feet of ground floor retail or community space, and 31 parking spaces. The estimated total project cost is $72.3 million.
The players
McKeen family
The longtime operators of the 1590 Blue Hill Ave. auto repair facility since 1976, who sold the property this week.
Boston Planning & Development Agency
The city agency that approved the 105-unit development at 1590 Blue Hill Ave. in August.
Colliers
A commercial real estate firm whose Executive Vice President Jeanne Pinado represented the sellers in the sale.
The details
The McKeen family, who operated the auto repair facility on the property since 1976, completed the sale, and Colliers Executive Vice President Jeanne Pinado represented the sellers. The Boston Planning & Development Agency approved the development in August under zoning that encourages multifamily housing along the Mattapan thoroughfare. Developers are now beginning to secure construction financing, which is projected to take at least two years, and the final unit affordability mix will be set once public funding sources are received.
Timeline
The site was first occupied by automotive-related uses in 1925.
The McKeen family began operating the auto repair facility in 1976.
The Boston Planning & Development Agency approved the development in August 2026.
The McKeen family sold the property on November 3, 2026.
The Home Front
The project is built under zoning that encourages multifamily development along the Mattapan thoroughfare, a pattern that channels new housing onto corridors where auto and commercial uses have long been established. Its income-restricted mix places it within Boston's push to add affordable units to neighborhoods near existing transit and retail.
If you are considering affordable rental or ownership options in Mattapan, watch for the project's unit lottery and income-eligibility rules once they are published. Check your household's income against the projected 30 to 80 percent of area median income range to see whether you may qualify.
The takeaway
Affordable housing projects like this one often take years to fund, so track the financing and unit-allocation announcements rather than expecting near-term openings. Keep your income documentation current so you can respond quickly if applications open.
What happens next
Developers must secure construction financing, which is estimated to take at least two years, before the project can move forward, and the final affordability mix depends on receipt of public funding.
Further reading
Explore more Boston Residential news on how housing projects are reshaping city neighborhoods.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Banker & Tradesman.
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