The city of Boston continues to move ahead on its commitment to increase housing options across the city.

As part of this effort, the Boston Planning Department has recommended approval and adoption of the first Squares + Streets plan. The Boston Planning & Development Agency approved the project, which is located in Roslindale Square, at its February meeting.

It’s the first Squares + Streets plan adopted since Mayor Michelle Wu announced the return of planning as a core function of city government last April, with a new city planning department, marking the first time in 70 years the city has had such a department.

Squares + Streets “focuses on expanding housing access in Boston’s neighborhood centers that have strong transportation, cultural and commercial resources.” 

The Roslindale Square plan would build significantly more housing options to support existing local businesses and boost demand for new ones. 

The Roslindale project has several goals, including strengthening community connections, activating public space with more diverse social opportunities and mixed income housing. The plan also includes repurposing historically and culturally significant buildings to meet modern needs.

The goals were the result of a year’s worth of meetings and events with Roslindale residents to find out what they think is best for their neighborhood.

Planned area improvements include expanding and enhancing pedestrian infrastructure, encouraging the opening of small-scale retail stores and utilizing public spaces for art installations and local programming that foster community gatherings.

As for buildings, the plan identifies the best sites for larger buildings and land uses, plus they’ll include a variety of ground-floor uses and more mixed-income housing. 

Rezoning is the next step in the project, following the release of a draft zoning map of the planned project area as well as more community input.