South Boston NDC and student team take first in regional housing competition

A conceptual proposal initiated by South Boston NDC to transform the historic South Boston High School into affordable senior housing has won first place in the 25th Annual Affordable Housing Development Competition, hosted by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBank Boston).

 While the building is not currently available for redevelopment, the project — titled The Mosaic — was developed as a design and feasibility exercise in collaboration with graduate students from Harvard University, MIT, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. South Boston NDC served as the development sponsor, working alongside Davis Square Architects and finance mentor David Aiken.

“The Mosaic represents the kind of creative, community-driven development we strive for,” said Donna Brown, Executive Director of South Boston NDC. “Even though this is a conceptual exercise, it’s a powerful vision for what affordable, inclusive senior housing could look like in a historically significant setting.”

The Mosaic concept features 83 thoughtfully designed homes for low-income seniors—including units for seniors with live-in caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren. The plan incorporates intergenerational community space, a rooftop garden, a library, fitness and arts rooms, and a multipurpose space for events and programs like yoga, technology classes, and lectures.

“Our population is aging, and the need for affordable housing that supports wellness and connection is growing fast,” Brown added. “This proposal gives us a chance to imagine how we can meet that need with respect for the past and an eye toward the future.”

The student team received a $10,000 first-place prize in recognition of their innovative approach to repurposing an iconic structure. South Boston High School, a Classical Revival-style building dating back to 1901, played a central role in the city’s school desegregation crisis in the 1970s. The project’s name, The Mosaic, pays tribute to a student publication from the 1980s that shared stories of resilience and diversity at the school. Today, the site’s mosaic and stone artwork installations serve as symbols of community healing.

"Over the past 25 years, more than 1,200 students from over 20 colleges and universities have participated in the competition. In partnership with development partners, they have submitted 150 affordable housing development proposals,” said Kenneth Willis, senior vice president, director of housing and community investment at FHLBank Boston. “It’s been an incredible experience to offer students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world affordable housing development. This competition would not be as successful as it has been without the sponsors and mentors who devote their time and resources each year.”

The competition was sponsored by FHLBank Boston, Boston Society for Architecture, CohnReznick, Kuehn Charitable Foundation, ICON Architecture Inc., and Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA).