About 24 Webster

Located in the Union Square neighborhood of Somerville, and minutes from the green line train station, 24 Webster Avenue will provide approximately 42 apartments to Somerville families. This 100% affordable building will comprise of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. 24 Webster Ave will also contain about 2,300 square feet of commercial space and residential amenities. The project will be built to Passive House standards ensuring that it is ultra energy efficient.

Just A Start would like to thank the Community Builders Cooperative for its support to build more affordable housing in Somerville. The Community Builders Cooperative owned and operated out of the 24 Webster Ave building for over four decades, honing carpentry arts and crafts within its former classrooms. When most of its members were ready to retire, they sought out Just A Start as a nonprofit developer with the hopes that the site could continue to serve the community in its new iteration. Just A Start is grateful to have partnered with another community-oriented organization to ensure Somerville remains affordable.


Public Benefits

  • 100% Affordable Housing

  • 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments

  • Sustainability and Climate Resiliency

    •  Built to Passive House standards

  • Community oriented retail space

Meet the Team

Just A Start

Founded in 1968, Just A Start is a community development corporation with a mission to promote equity to create access to stable housing and build pathways to economic opportunity. We build equitable and thriving communities by guiding individuals and families on their path to economic stability through affordable housing, career training, and comprehensive support services.

For over 50 years Just A Start has served Somerville and Cambridge through housing assistance, career training, youth education, and financial opportunity programs. We have developed over 600 rental apartments of affordable family housing and 130 affordable homes. Our workforce development programs include Biomedical and IT training and the YouthBuild program. We also offer financial coaching and tax prep through our Financial Opportunity program, and comprehensive support for families towards financial and social well-being through the Families Moving Forward program. Annually, Just A Start serves over 2,600 people.

Icon Architecture

ICON is a women-owned, Boston-based firm of 45 staff with award-winning work focused on innovative, sustainable housing—creating new paradigms for living. Widely recognized for our vision, creativity, and responsiveness to clients, ICON’s principals and senior staff offer the skills necessary to conceive and implement complex projects that require coordination of clients, citizens and agencies. We bring to our clients an ability to listen carefully, to assimilate and synthesize, and to help build consensus among often-conflicting interests.

At the heart of ICON’s practice is the belief that affordable housing makes a difference; a substantial portion of our practice is devoted to the design of affordable housing and equitable neighborhoods. We are committed to the highest quality of design, sustainability, livability and long-range economy. Our designs demonstrate sensitivity to their context and display our ability to work thoughtfully with residents, neighbors, and administrators to achieve quality planning and design with superior lasting value.

Timeline

Past

  • 1921 – The current building was constructed to provide more space for the St. Joseph’s Church girls’ parochial school.

  • 1965 – St. Joseph’s Church sells the building to a private owner.

  • February 2021 – Just A Start purchases the building from 24 Webster Building Trust.

  • Fall 2022 - Spring 2024 - Community Process

    • September 2022 - Meetings with community organizations

    • October 2022 - Community Meeting #1

    • April 2023 - Community Meeting #2

    • March 2024 - Community Meeting #3

  • Fall 2022- Winter 2024 – Just A Start pursues funding opportunities.

    • September 2022 - Presentation at the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

    • September 2023 - State Funding Application

    • January 2024 - State Announces Funding Award

Upcoming

  • Summer – Fall 2024 - Somerville Review & Permitting

  • Winter 2024/2025 (prior to construction) - Community Meeting #4

  • Spring 2025 - Construction Start (if funded)

  • Fall 2026 - Construction Completion

Location: 24 Webster Ave, Somerville, MA