The Mattapan State Hospital Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) voted last week to distribute unused funds to Cruz Construction that would give them the go-ahead to construct a four-unit building for Department of Mental Health (DMH) clients on the Harvard Commons campus.

The building, off Harvard Street on the Dorchester-Mattapan line, is the final building planned on the site after a decades-long endeavor to build out a portion of the old State Hospital site. Cruz is one of several companies designated to develop portions of the state-owned property.

The allocation of $157,335, the moving of a walking path easement, and the blessing of the CAC was the last piece needed, according to Cruz’s Edgar Carrere. “That will complete our obligations under the cooperation agreement,” he said.

“We’re hoping for a construction start in September 2024 and a 12-month construction period for an opening next year. That would be it entirely for us, but we do still have the community room buildout to go.”

A larger building called Heritage House was ori9gbinally intended to be in Harvard Commons as part of the cooperation agreement, but DMH informed the CAC in 2016 that other group homes in the community had replaced the need for the larger facility. Instead, they pursued the construction of the four-unit building that has been okayed. City and state funding are in place, and 90 percent of that funding must be used before the $157,335 would kick in.

Additionally, Cruz Companies has seven of the final homes now under construction at Harvard Commons with three already under agreement. They will have built and sold 54 homes in the space.

Olmsted Green construction update

Jerry Rappaport, Jr., of New Boston Fund reported that construction on the Preserve at Olmsted Green – –80 units of affordable homeownership that broke ground in May 2023, has hit a snag.

“We found foundations from the Boston State Hospital, and they have asbestos in them,” Rappaport told members of the CAC. “When we went down to install a foundation, we then found another foundation and we’re going to do some testing on it. That has caused us to seek $250,000 to $300,000 in Brownfield environmental funds. We’ll request emergency funding from MassDevelopment and would like CAC support for those funds.”

Rappaport said it would not affect timing on the development, but would potentially affect what amenities are included, such as a dog park. Six of the 80 units are impacted by the foundation find.

Construction is moving fast, with the first nine units expected to be finished by Sept. 1. Another 20 units are under contract, and 10 have unit reservations. The entire 80-unit homeownership development is expected to be fully completed by June 2025.

More units sought for Olmsted Village

The three-building inter-generational Olmsted Village project is awaiting approval from the Boston Planning Department board in August for its project change, which added 21 units, cut out two parking spaces, and took the overall affordable units from 197 to 226. Originally approved in February 2023, the project will offer 43 homeownership opportunities for moderate- and middle-income families at Russell House. Treehouse will offer 60 apartment homes for foster/adoptive families, young adults aging out of the foster care system, and for older adults committed to mentoring them. And Brooke House will feature a six-story building containing approximately 127 affordable senior housing apartments with a community center, medical suite, and childcare center on the ground floor.

Other new buildings include two three-story buildings containing approximately eight market-rate family homeownership apartments; and one four-story building containing approximately 31 family mixed-income homeownership apartments fronting on Harvard Street. There is a total of six new buildings and financing is still being sought.

The project is housed on the final 10 acres of the State Hospital property, with Lena New Boston and 2Life Communities granted the designation to the final piece of land in 2021.

The CAC will take a summer break, and not meet in August, but will resume meeting in September.