The Boston Planning & Development Authority has approved a project that will convert a South Boston Waterfront office building into housing. 

An office building located at 259-267 Summer St. will be converted into 77 residential apartments and 15 income-restricted units as part of the city’s office-to-residential conversion program. 

Launched in October 2023, the program encourages developers to convert underutilized offices into residences. 

In July, the program was extended when Mayor Michelle Wu and Gov. Maura Healey announced the state would offer $15 million to incentivize the conversion of larger-scale office buildings in Boston into housing. These projects are often more costly due to their complexity. The funding aims to address housing shortages by repurposing existing office spaces, thereby creating more residential units.

The Summer Street project will convert the unused building into a mixed-use building with both commercial and retail space, along with housing. It will also include resident bike parking.

The project brings with it community benefits including the reconstruction of sidewalks near the site to improve the pedestrian experience. The developer will also preserve the existing Boston Wharf Company sign on the building and replace its neon lights with more efficient LED lights. 

In December, Woburn-based Court Square Equity Partners LLC filed a Small Project Review application with the city’s planning department for a proposal to convert an office building at 15 Court Square into 80 residential rental apartments.