ZOM Living, the developer behind The Residences at South Shore, boasts an impressive portfolio of over 25,000 units nationwide, each tailored to its specific location. Their track record speaks volumes about their ability to deliver exceptional, high-quality residences.

• 7.0 acre site

• 325 Units, 10% of the units will be affordable (80% AMI)

• There will be 162 one-bedroom units, 36 studio units and 127 two-bedroom units

• 4 stories

• Nearly 40% of the site is open space

• 490 parking spaces in a structured garage

• The Residences at South Shore will transform 10.3 acres of empty parking lot space at the edge of the South Shore Plaza into a beautiful residential campus with significant architectural and landscape design. The Residences at South Shore will include a 4-story, multifamily building with 325 units, a self-contained parking structure, and 40% open space. This project will revitalize an area that is currently sitting idle and will inject new life into the Plaza and surrounding area.

A Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a mixed use development on a plot of land. A PUD provides a greater degree of flexibility for the development of large tracts of land which provide residential, commercial, and business activities on the same parcel of land in a planned, controlled environment.

As referenced below, PUD is allowed both by Massachusetts General Law and the Braintree Zoning Ordinance.

·      The Zoning Act, G.L. c. 40A, sec. 9, 5th paragraph, states: “…planned unit developments shall be permitted upon the issuance of a special permit.”

·      The Zoning Act, G.L. c. 40A, sec. 9, 8th paragraph, states: “Planned Unit Development” means a mixed-use development on a plot of land…in which a mixture of residential, open space, commercial, industrial or other uses and a variety of building types are determined to be sufficiently advantageous to render it appropriate to grant special permission…”

·      The Braintree Zoning Ordinance (“BZO”), sec. 612, states that the purpose of PUD is “to provide a greater degree of flexibility for the development of large tracts of land which provide residential, commercial, and business activities…” Under the BZO, there is a 3-acre minimum for a PUD.  The MUPUD is 10.3-acres at South Shore.

·      Sec. 106, BZO, defines “Planned Unit Development” as “a mixed-use development that contains at least two of the following:  residential use, business use, commercial use and open space…” The MUPUD at South Shore complies.

·      PUD is protective; it is an overlay.  Unlike a wholesale “rezone:” (1) PUD is substantially tied to a required/filed concept plan; (2) a PUD project requires a Special Permit from the Planning Board; (3) PUD requires residential, commercial, and/or open space (2 of 3 uses); and (4) if a PUD project (Special Permit) is not approved by the Planning Board, then the underlying zoning continues to apply. 

There is no risk - only the prospect of creating improvement, new revenue, new quality housing (market rate approximately $3,000 per month) on seven (7) acres of the MUPUD, a complementary restaurant or retail use for the vacant commercial building on 3.3 acres of the MUPUD, over 39% open space and a public walking trail.

For additional information on the Braintree Planning Board, upcoming meetings and resources, please visit their website.

• The scope, or PUD (Planned Unit Development), is a zoning district that includes 10.3 acres of parking lots and an existing commercial building on the South Shore Plaza property.

• ZOM Living is proposing to develop 7.0 of the 10.3 acres of the zoning district into a 325-unit multifamily project called The Residences at South Shore.

• Simon Property Group, the owner of the South Shore Plaza, is redeveloping the existing 3.3 acre commercial component.

• After the PUD approval of the zoning district, each component will go through a separate special permit process with the Braintree Planning Board and the community.

For more information on the Braintree Planning Board and Braintree zoning bylaws and ordinances, please visit their website.

• Simon Property Group is Braintree’s largest taxpayer. This new housing will bring new consumers to the Plaza and create new customers who will spend more money at the Plaza and surrounding small, local businesses bringing additional tax revenue to the town.

• ZOM is the sole developer of the residential portion (7.0 acres) of the proposed Plan Unit Development (PUD) and will own and operate the community independently from Simon and the Plaza.

• Simon will be developing the commercial portion of the PUD plan which is the western 3.3 acres of the site. Simon is in the market actively seeking out users for this space, including the 16,000 square foot building that formerly housed the 99 Restaurant.

• Apartment buildings are another common form of housing. In this type of multifamily housing, each household has its own living space, including bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens, but shares other common areas like parking garages and yards.

• Multifamily living options in communities allow young professionals and empty nesters opportunities to live and stay in Braintree.

• A multifamily property is a residential property that rents apartments annually. They are common forms of housing both in Braintree and throughout the South Shore and provide each household with its own living space along with access to common areas and amenities. The shared indoor and outdoor amenity spaces at the Residences at South Shore will include a fitness center, clubroom lounges, co-working spaces, outdoor dining areas, a pool, and walking trails.

• There will be a mix of apartments including studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Residents will be predominantly young singles working in the area seeking an active, local lifestyle but still valuing quick access to employment and opportunities. This multifamily project will also attract those looking to downsize and enjoy the benefits of living in a community.

$140 million investment in Braintree will generate significant tax revenue for the town, helping to ease the drastic budget cuts.

$2.3 million to Braintree in building permits and fees

$550,000 annually to the town’s budget in real estate taxes

New green spaces and walking trails

Adding more people with buying power in the town will have a spin-off effect at the Plaza and on local, small businesses in Braintree.

The Residences at South Shore will bring both financial and community benefits to Braintree. As outlined in an economic impact report conducted by Fougere Planning, the investment in Braintree will be over $140 million. Braintree will receive $2.4 million in building permits and fees in addition to an annual net tax revenue of $550,000. In a time of financial uncertainty, this investment and guaranteed revenue will help ease drastic budget cuts.

New residents will create built-in customers for the Plaza and other Braintree businesses, helping support the local economy. Large employers will find Braintree a more appealing destination to set up business because they can be assured of quality housing for their employees.

• The Residences at South Shore is an approximately $140 million investment in Braintree and will provide an annual tax revenue of $550,000 to the town. This compact residential development will create a built-in consumer base for the adjacent retail and restaurants at the Plaza, leading to economic spending and support of Braintree’s businesses.

• In an age of online purchasing, mixed-use (multifamily homes built adjacent to retail/restaurants) has repositioned and enhanced brick-and-mortar retail venues throughout the country. Examples of this phenomenon can be found all over Massachusetts, including Hanover Crossing in Hanover, MarketStreet in Lynnfield, Legacy Place in Dedham, Kingston Collection in Kingston, and University Ave. in Westwood.

• Braintree’s single-family neighborhoods are already fully developed and in order to meet the rising demand for housing, we must take advantage of underutilized space adjacent to the town’s largest commercial taxpayer, the South Shore Plaza.

• Families with school-aged children typically make up a very small component of a multifamily housing community. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)’s study from February 2024. Development of new housing does not have an impact on school enrollment.

• Braintree has seen a nearly 10% decline in overall enrollment in the schools since 2017.

  • For the most updated school enrollment numbers for the Town of Braintree, visit the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

• It is estimated that The Residences @ South Shore will add 10 elementary school students, 8 middle school students and 10 high school students.

  • Comparative housing projects in the area have seen similar student population impacts.
    

• Our traffic impact study, conducted by respected traffic engineers Vanasse & Associated, showed the project will produce a mere 1 additional vehicle outside of the I-93 range every 4 to 15 minutes during peak traffic hours.

• There is sufficient capacity on existing roadways that serve the Mall, and residential uses have much less impact than commercial development.

• The Residences at South Shore is a wholly contained and ideally located community whose residents will drive to/from the Granite Street corridor to/from the expressways that lead in all directions. The location is perfectly situated for access to and from the major expressway routes of Rt. 3, I-93, and I-95.

• This project will not change the level of service at any relevant intersections within the Granite Street corridor. Furthermore, the proximity to major roadways will not materially impact cross-town traffic.

• We will encourage a multi-modal transportation approach at our site by providing bike storage for residents, and the residential project will be proximate to the MBTA bus stop at the Plaza - a mere 3-minute walk from the entrance of the building. Bus #236 will take residents on a 10-minute ride to the Braintree Red Line MBTA station.

• The project proposes to design and implement an optional signal timing, phasing, and coordination plan for seven intersections on Granite Street.

The Residences @ South Shore will contribute approximately $620,000 to the town of Braintree to offset the additional resources needed from the fire department, police department and school department.

According to the Urban Land Institute, "...high-density development actually is more efficient than low-density development. By their very nature, longer sewer lines and sprawling utility (water, gas, and electric) supply systems are more costly; traditional development patterns also dictate expensive road construction. In addition, local governments must provide provide fire and police protection (as well as other services) over a larger area. By contrast, compact development benefits from economic and scale and geographic scope - and these benefits are large..."

What is the Application Process for Affordable Units?  Approximately four to six months before the affordable units are expected to be ready for occupancy, the marketing and application period will begin, and will last for sixty days, followed by a lottery. All eligible households will be placed into the lottery which will establish waiting lists for each affordable unit type. All lottery households will have a placement on at least one waiting list, which establish the order in which households will be invited by the Management Team to apply for units.   

Is Local Preference Allowed in the Lottery? Typically there is a local preference for up to 70% of the units.  Local preference is defined as people who live or work in the town, or who have children that go to school in the town.  Someone who just meets one of the criteria has the same preference as someone who meets all the different criteria. In order to implement a local preference in the lottery, it is the Town’s obligation to compose a letter demonstrating why the local preference is warranted, which usually focuses on the number of cost burdened households living in the community who would benefit from this opportunity.  

What are the Income Limits to Qualify?  Income limits are set by HUD each year and are based on the number of persons in the applying household.  In the usual case, income limits rise each year, however, this is not guaranteed. Braintree sits within the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy HUD Fair Market Area, and the income limits for 2024 are as follows: 

$91,200 (1 person), $104,200 (2 people), $117,250 (3 people)  

$130,250 (4 people), $140,700 (5 people) $151,100 (6 people) 

What are the Approximate Affordable Rents?  As of 2024, assuming tenants pay all electric utilities, water, and sewer, approximate affordable rents are: 

Studio - $2,122           1BR - $2,394            2BR - $2,657 

Is there an Asset Cap that Limits who may be Eligible?  No, there is no asset limit, however, income generated from assets is counted toward the income limits listed above. 

What Types of Documents Will Households Need to Supply in Order to Demonstrate Eligibility?  Households will need to supply documentation to demonstrate the amount of their income and assets, and such documentation may include items such as:  recent taxes, W2’s, 1099’s, Pay Stubs, Bank Statements, Profit and Loss Statements, Benefit Letters, Child Support/Alimony, Explanations of Bank Deposits that are not from a job, etc.  

Can Households Own a Home? Households may own a home at the time of application, however, the home must be sold before they can rent an affordable unit.  

For the 2BR units, is there a Household Size Preference in the Lottery? Yes, larger household compositions will have higher waiting list placements for the 2BR units as compared to smaller household compositions, in order to ensure that households who are “overhoused” do not get first priority.  

Is there a Minimum Income Requirement?  While the affordable housing program does not have a minimum income requirement, most Management Teams require households to demonstrate a certain minimum income to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to pay their rent.  

Are Co-Signer or Guarantors Allowed? No, the program does not permit either.  

Do these units require a first and last-month deposit? No, the program does not require either deposit.  

• The $140 million investment in the project, along with a new presence of community-minded residents, creates clear safety and security benefits.

• The project will contribute an estimated $620,000 to the town of Braintree to fund additional public safety and public resources.

• When occupied, this area will provide an entire community paying attention and paying significant rent in a highly-amenitized community living adjacent to the Plaza. This will contribute significantly to the effort to enhance safety, security, and reporting.

There have been studies done throughout the years regarding these topics that clearly show there is NO correlation between multifamily rental housing and a decrease in home value or an increase in crime.

Please see the article for Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing and Urban Land Institute’s studies which states:

"The fear that housing density will hurt property values seems to be primarily based on anecdotes. By contrast, most research has come to a different conclusion: in general, neither multifamily rental housing, nor low-income housing, causes neighboring property values to decline." - Page 12

In regards to the false claims that high density housing causes more crime, the Urban Land Institute's report is clear in saying that:
"In actuality, when police data is analyzed on a per unit basis, the rate of police activity in apartment communities is no worse than in single family subdivisions, and in many cases, is lower than in single family areas." -Page 14

• Top mall owners have succeeded in evolving the mall format to be more holistic and complementary, driving visits and experiences of a higher magnitude. The mix of uses (housing, restaurants, retail, entertainment) creates this complementary synergy that elevates all components.

• There is an efficiency of land use by building on an underutilized parcel of mall land which will create value for the mall and Braintree.

• Read more: Bisnow and CoStar Stories

• Housing draws new retail and entertainment companies to the area. Hanover Crossing Residences in Hanover played an integral role in attracting Market Basket and other quality retailers and restaurants to the overall Hanover Crossing development.

• ZOM, the developer behind The Residences at South Shore, boasts an impressive portfolio of over 25,000 units nationwide and has extensive experience in property management and will self-manage this development. ZOM’s property management company, ZRS Management, has extensive experience managing over 75,000 high-quality, multifamily homes for ZOM and other owners in the eastern United States.

• ZRS staffs each property with local talent and provides on-site managers, customer service, leasing, and maintenance services to its residents.

No. The gate will not be opened to public traffic and will continue to be used for public safety vehicles only.

ZOM has proposed landscaping in the project that would cover almost the entirety of the building facing the Flaherty School and Laurie's Way. ZOM is committed to creating a landscaped barrier that is pleasant and natural and will continue to grow in height.

The landscaping will be planted on and around a 13-foot landscaping berm, designed for maximum elevation. The top of the berm will be planted with evergreens that will continue to grow taller year after year.

The gate at Laurie's Way will NOT, and will NEVER, be opened for local traffic or use other than by Braintree public safety as necessary.

View the POV here.

No. The planned public walking and biking trail will be contained on the 10.3 acres of the project. The trail will begin on The Residences @ South Shore property and end by the former 99 Restaurant, all contained on ZOM or Simon property.

There is water capacity to serve the development.

Braintree is currently building the Tri-Town Regional Water Treatment plant - a new state-of-the-art facility in collaboration with Holbrook and Randolph to serve the residents of all three towns.

Braintree operates its own treatment plant and a second treatment plant serves the Randolph-Holbrook Joint Water Board. For updates on the project and additional information, please visit the Tri-Town Board of Water Commissioners website.

The Residences @ South Shore will pay an annual fee of approximately $620,000 to the town of Braintree to offset the costs of public services.

According to the Urban Land Institute, "...high-density development actually is more efficient than low-density development. By their very nature, longer sewer lines and sprawling utility (water, gas, and electric) supply systems are more costly; traditional development patterns also dictate expensive road construction. In addition, local governments must provide provide fire and police protection (as well as other services) over a larger area. By contrast, compact development benefits from economic and scale and geographic scope - and these benefits are large..."

At ZOM Living, we are deeply committed to building The Residences at South Shore in a way that benefits both the community and the workforce. We recognize and respect the role that union labor plays in ensuring high standards of quality, safety, and fairness in construction projects.

As of now, no contractor has been selected for the project. We are committed to a bidding process, which will provide opportunities for all qualified contractors, including those who employ union labor. We value the experience and expertise that union workers bring and will ensure they have fair access to bid on the work involved in The Residences at South Shore.

Yes. All costs to the Town of Braintree will be covered by the developer on an annual basis, including an estimated:

$125,000 to Police

$119,313 to Fire

$44,400 to Other Departments

$284,992 to School Costs

View Muni Cost Sheet Here

As with all taxes and revenue collected by the Town of Braintree, the Mayor and Town Council are responsible for creating and implementing an annual budget.

ZOM Living will have no say in how the surplus revenue is spent.