GREATER BOSTON NAZARENE COMPASSIONATE CENTER
Boston, Massachusetts

The center is a faith-based organization that provides spiritual and socio-economic support for the Haitian immigrant community in Boston and environs. We worked with the group to develop a master plan for the building and the site after they purchased a former VFW hall on River Street in Mattapan. The three-story brick structure overlooks the Neponset River, with a parking lot between the building and the river.

The programming includes a sanctuary, afterschool programs, and a food pantry on the main level. Upstairs, dormers are added to accommodate a classroom/computer lab, as well as a conference room and administrative offices. At the lowest level, an existing day care center is renovated with the addition of large new windows and improved access to the site. A two-level addition incorporates a commercial kitchen on the lower level accessed from the rear parking lot and a food pantry with a porch on the main level accessed from the entry drive. The building is made accessible through a series of integrated ramps.

The plan proposes street trees along River Street and flowering trees along the entry drive.

Shrubs and perennials are added along a new pedestrian path to the main entrance. At the rear, the parking lot is made smaller and one of the access drives is removed to give space for a new playground and community garden. The addition of these landscape elements strengthens the connection to the river.

Interior and exterior improvements were started as a volunteer effort sponsored by Shawmut Construction in conjunction with members of the center as part of Boston Shines, a citywide clean-up program.