A: On February 7, 2025, the Sixteen Penny Co. filed paperwork with the City of Boston Planning Department to build a condominium building at 920 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, a property that until recent years housed a convent for the Poor Clare Nuns of Boston.
Q: What is noteworthy about the location of this project?
A. 920 Centre Street sits on a hill overlooking the Arboretum’s main entrance, the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center, and one of the Arboretum’s most open, expansive, and visited view corridors. Under the Boston Zoning Code (Section 55-10), 920 Centre Street is located in a Conservation Protection Subdistrict (CPS). The purpose of a CPS is to “promote the most desirable use of land and siting of development in areas with special natural or scenic features in accordance with a well-considered plan, and to protect and enhance the natural and scenic resources of Jamaica Plain.” (emphasis added)
Q: As an abutter, what considerations has the Arnold Arboretum factored in when determing its viewpoint on the appropriateness of this project?
A: The Arboretum has two key principles in mind when we consider development projects on our perimeter:
- How will the proposed development affect the health and longevity of the Arboretum’s current and future living collections of woody plants?
- How will the development affect public views and the general integrity of Frederick Law Olmsted’s design of the Arboretum’s historical landscape?
Q: Why are the principles above so important to the Arboretum and its mission?
A: The Arnold Arboretum is an outdoor museum of trees, internationally recognized as the steward of one of the most consequential collections of temperate woody plants in the world. The living collections are essential to the Arboretum’s scientific research enterprise, which is dedicated to the study of plants worldwide and, increasingly, to investigating the effects of climate change on plants, local ecosystems, and planetary health. Each tree in the collection has a unique provenance and extensive documentation tracked by staff throughout its life. Arboretum trees, in short, cannot be easily replaced—nor replaced without significant cost to our research work.
In addition to its scientific mission, the Arnold Arboretum is an urban oasis, designed by pioneering landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and carefully stewarded by Harvard and by City of Boston leaders for more than 150 years. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the Arboretum provides city residents the chance to be immersed in the natural world—an experience that public health literature indicates is not a luxury but an essential, measurable public health benefit. In addition, like all public green spaces, the Arboretum’s value derives from the fact that it is public—a place where every citizen, no matter their means or their background, can enjoy, in Olmsted’s words, “the pride of an owner.”
Q: What is the Arnold Arboretum’s role in the City’s review process for the proposed development at 920 Centre Street?
A: As a direct abutter, the Arboretum’s feedback on the proposed development to date has been focused solely on safeguarding the long-term health and integrity of our historic, ecologically significant landscape—and ensuring that any possible development that could impact our collections or the experience of some 1M annual visitors is thoughtfully considered. The Arboretum has been in dialogue with the City, the developer, and members of the community since early in this project’s review process.
We have worked with the City of Boston and other developers to support development plans along our perimeter that balance Boston’s housing needs with the stewardship responsibilities entrusted to us. We remain hopeful that a path forward can be found at 920 Centre Street as well—a plan that honors all stakeholders and preserves the Arboretum landscape as Boston’s premier public garden for generations to come.
Q: Where can I find more information about this project and make my voice heard?
A: You may find out more about this project at the project page on the Boston Planning Department’s website.
For additional information, email Jon Hetman, Associate Director of External Relations and Communications.
Revised 03/05/26