Mayor Walsh, Chinatown community celebrate Oxford Ping On opening

CHINATOWN - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined the Chinese Economic Development Council, Inc., Chia-Ming Sze Architect Inc., Consigli Construction Co., Inc., Eastern Bank, local and state officials and Chinatown residents to celebrate the grand opening of Oxford Ping On, a new, 60,000-square-foot affordable rental housing development on Oxford Street in Chinatown. The $26.7 million project, developed by the Chinese Economic Development Council, Inc. (CEDC), created 67 affordable rental apartments for Chinatown's low-income population. The construction project also generated more than 100 construction jobs.

"I am proud that the City of Boston's commitment to this project has helped create 67 new homes - homes that will help ensure that the people who help make Chinatown the thriving, vibrant neighborhood it is will be able to stay in their community," said Mayor Walsh. "Boston is lucky to have this exemplary team of builders, designers, and partners who worked so closely with the Chinese Economic Development Council to create more affordable housing for working people in Chinatown."

Located in the Boston Empowerment Zone, adjacent to the Midtown Cultural District on the site of a former parking lot, Oxford Ping On takes its name from the intersection of Oxford Street and Ping On Alley where it is located. The 11-story building features 48 studio apartments, 16 one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments. The units are geared toward those earning no more than 30 to 60 percent of the area's median income and will provide a vital housing resource in the neighborhood. Surface parking is located directly across Ping On Street.

"This beautiful building is a great example of what affordable housing can be in the City of Boston," said Matthew Consigli, President of Consigli Construction. "Because we believe in the efforts of Mayor Walsh to increase the amount of affordable, workforce development housing throughout Boston, and we're honored to have built this new home for the Chinatown community."

Funding for the more than $26M rental housing development was made possible in part through a variety of funding sources, including more than $2M from the City of Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development's Leading the Way Fund and the Neighborhood Housing Trust Fund. Additionally, the project received Federal and State Tax Credits, and Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development contributed more than $3.7M in funding.

In accordance with the City of Boston's Green Affordable Housing Program, the building utilized several green building design techniques, earning it the distinction of being LEED-Homes Silver certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The project also meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency'sEnergy Star standards.

"I believe this sets a great example for this administration's intent and goal - to create more affordable housing for the City of Boston," said Ed Chiang, CEDC's Chairman of the Board. "And that has also been CEDC's mission for the last 42 years - to assist the Asian-American community to become self-sufficient through affordable housing, economic development and job training."

About Chinese Economic Development Council, Inc. (CEDC)

CEDC was founded in 1974 for the purpose of "enhancing the economic development of the Chinese community in Boston." CEDC has assisted the low-income, and often non-English-speaking, Asian residents of Chinatown to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency by developing not only affordable housing, but also incubator office space and employment training programs.

About Consigli Construction Co., Inc. (Consigli)

Consigli Construction Co., Inc. is a leading construction manager and general contractor with offices in Boston and Milford, Mass., Washington, D.C., Portland, Maine, Hartford, Conn., and New York State. Consigli's extensive portfolio features a diverse range of projects of various scale and serving a wide range of clients in the life sciences, historical, academics, residential and cultural industries throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. A fourth-generation family-owned business, Consigli is recognized by the Boston Business Journal as the second-largest construction company in Massachusetts and by Engineering News-Record as one of the 100-largest in the country. It has received numerous awards and recognition for its work and employment practices company wide. Follow us on Twitter (@Consigli1905) or on Facebook.