
OPPORTUNITIES
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The development program advanced by Nubian Ascends was reviewed, analyzed and fully endorsed by the Roxbury Project Review Committee. This support was also the result of several community meetings. The last Zoom meeting saw over 100 community participants. The Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Committee also hosted a public meeting. This local body voted unanimously to accept the proposal and recommend designation to the BPDA Board of Directors. he public review process includes a number of city and community meetings; The most recent one was held on September 2nd.
The Nubian Gallery and Black Market are two centers of community-based activities centered around art, culture, and minority business growth and development. Both are immediately adjacent to the Blair Lot and are owned by two Nubian Ascends partners. The relationships fostered in these two venues have also added community recognition and support.
Information to apply for the Affordable (Artist) Housing will be forthcoming.
JOBS
Nubian Square Ascends is a minority-led transformational, multi-phase project that will create a total of 550 permanent quality jobs, over 200 union construction jobs, and bring new vitality to Nubian Square with a focus on assuring that minority workers, MBE businesses, and neighborhood residents are the prime beneficiaries of the development.
We anticipate that 51% of the FTE construction jobs will be held by low-income people or residents of a low-income community. The project is subject to the Boston Residents Jobs Policy, which has the goals of 51% of construction workers being from the City of Boston and 40% of the construction jobs to be held by workers of color.
The Project will create many office, retail, food service, and facility jobs that do not require a four-year degree or much experience. Overall 60% of total jobs created would be accessible and targeted to Roxbury residents (50% of office jobs and 90% of retail/food service/facility jobs).
Office jobs will consist mostly of Roxbury and other LIC residents in Boston enrolled in training/workforce development programs for the medical, life sciences, and biotech industries.
The retail and restaurant jobs will be supported by training and advancement opportunities as well. The project will contain a Culinary Center, which will be a training/teaching space. This space will allow the project to host cooking classes for the community and culinary students, attract culinary entrepreneurs/ restauranteurs to open a restaurant or test new recipes, and draw visitors from the community and elsewhere to enjoy foods that are representative of Nubian Square residents, specifically African, Caribbean, and South American specialties. The Culinary Arts space will focus primarily on engaging local food entrepreneurs and giving them a platform to establish their own food businesses.
Leasing
Nubian Square Ascends is undoubtably the most important new real estate development in the City of Boston. With the community’s support, the commercial space available at the future Nubian Square is going to take this neighborhood to the next level. Located in the heart of Boston, the new approximately 208,040 SF building is position to fulfill any of the major asset classes: medical, academic, lab, and office space. The project will be grounded by state-of-the-art retail, community spce, a robust market, and an art gallery. This development will be a true live-work-play opportunity with new class A residential space, located just steps away from public transit with ample covered parking in a structured garage on-site. The project sits adjacent to the largest bus station in Boston with key transportation to Kendall/MIT and the Silver Line to Logan Airport.