Jefferson Avenue is in line for another infill mixed-use development. T.O.P Enterprises is proposing to renovate the circa-1871 Lion Brewery building at 1035 Jefferson, construct a community center and affordable apartment units for a site at the southeast corner of Jefferson and Best Street. T.O.P is a non-profit dedicated to the revitalization of the Jefferson-Best area. The Planning Board started review of the proposal at its Monday meeting.
From the Application:
The proposed 3.5 acre development includes a new-build Fine Arts Community Center, the renovation of the existing Lion Brewery building, and the rehabilitation of the surrounding site. Together, both buildings will contain 83 affordable apartment units (ranging from Studios, 1-Bedroom units, and 2-Bedroom units).
The Fine Arts Community Center currently includes space which will be used for art galleries, a multi-purpose large scale banquet hall space, and private studios, as well as space for small pop-up restaurant vendors and seating. The exterior design of the building is designed to create a new, additional neighborhood landmark, sloping up toward the intersection at Jefferson Avenue, showcasing both the creativity and great potential of the community, as well as a commitment to excellence and future growth. The building slopes down away from the corner to approach Best Street and Earl Place at a smaller scale.
The renovated Lion Brewery Building will have commercial space on the first floor along Jefferson Avenue, which would contain a restaurant, a small museum gallery acknowledging the rich and diverse history of the building, as well as other commercial uses. For this existing structure, we plan to both restore the dentil detailing of the cornices, and also open up the existing ground floor loading bays along the west façade with glass. This strategy aims to both celebrate the historicity of the building and activate and engage with Jefferson Avenue.
CPL Architecture Engineering and Planning is designing the project that will also include 92 on-site parking spaces, an outdoor recreational space for tenants, and a community garden facing Earl Place.
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