Housing

Here's how many Boston offices have applied to convert to housing so far

The incentive is meant to help enliven downtown and put Boston’s empty office space post-COVID to a more productive use

By Greg Ryan • Published December 18, 2023 • Updated on December 18, 2023 at 10:40 am

The office building at 85 Devonshire St. is the largest candidate in a city program so far for a residential conversion.

The Wu administration has received applications for four office-to-residential conversions — two downtown, and two in the West End — in the first two months of a program meant to incentivize more housing development through a special tax break.

The Boston Planning and Development Agency launched the program in mid-October, offering up a property-tax abatement that averages 75% over 29 years for conversions in downtown Boston and a handful of adjacent neighborhoods. The incentive is meant to help enliven downtown and put Boston’s empty office space post-COVID to a more productive use.

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