52 New Street

Rendering of 52 New Street

52 New Street is an approximately 145,000 square feet lot located in Neighborhood Nine and is in close proximity to Danehy Park, Fresh Pond, the Alewife MBTA station, and retail amenities. It previously served as a commercial gym with a large parking lot. Just A Start (JAS) acquired the site in January 2020 with funding from the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust. JAS was the first to be able to take advantage of the increased density and as-of-right permitting path available under the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) for fully affordable projects when it was passed in October 2020. 

JAS constructed a new building on the site that contains 106 affordable rental units. The building complies with Passive House standards and includes features to ensure maximum energy efficiency such as a robust thermal envelope, efficient HVAC systems, and eco‐friendly materials. It also contains a range of amenities, including two exterior upper-level decks, a large community room, a fitness center and a business center, as well as the possibility of a future connection to Danehy Park.

JAS is holding a second lottery for up to 20 of its one- and two-bedroom affordable housing rental units at 52 New Street in Cambridge and to fill the waiting list for units as they become available. Supported with funding from the City of Cambridge and Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust, 52 New Street was the first development to be approved under the Affordable Housing Overlay. Construction is complete. Residents selected in this round will begin moving in by late June to July 2026.

Applications for the remaining units are now available until May 20 at 3 p.m. Please visit here to complete the application online. 

JAS will be hosting an information session on April 28 at 1 p.m. online. Please visit www.52NewStreetApartments.com to register for the information session. A lottery will be held on May 22 at 3 p.m. via Teams. Attendance is not required. 

For more information on 52 New Street, please visit JAS’s project page at:https://justastart.org/52-new-street/. For more information about the application process and the upcoming information session, please click on the flyer here or email 52NewStreet@Wingatecompanies.com.

 

52 New Street Public Meetings:

Meeting Date/Time More Information
Planning Board Meeting January 4, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. View the meeting materials.
Planning Board Meeting October 26, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. View the meeting materials.
JAS Community Meeting April 15, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

View the meeting flyer.
JAS Community Meeting March 25, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. View the meeting flyer.
JAS Community Meeting February 25, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. View the meeting flyer.

Existing Site:

An industrial site on a deep asphalt lot adjacent to Danehy Park near the Fresh Pond reservoir, Fresh Pond shopping areas, and public transit.   


New Construction: 

  • 106 affordable units (22 one-bedrooms, 62 two-bedrooms, 22 three-bedrooms)
  • Approximately 3,000 square feet of new retail/commercial space
  • Improved site connectivity to Danehy park
  • Transformation of the site to residential use

  • 52 New Street Entrance - Rendering

    Building and Site Rendering

  • 52 New Street Rendering

    52 New Street Rendering

  • 52 New Street Rendering

    52 New Street Rendering

  • 52 New Street Rendering

    52 New Street Rendering

  • 52 New Street Under Construction

    52 New Street Under Construction

  • 52 New Street Final Rendering

    52 New Street Final Rendering

  • 52 New Street under construction - January 2025

    52 New Street under construction - January 2025

The application period for 52 New Street is now closed. The lottery was held on via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Lottery placement letters will be mailed to confirm applicants' lottery number by September 30, 2025. 

If you have any questions, please call JAS at (617) 876-5855 or email 52NewStreet@Wingatecompanies.com. For more information about this project, please visit https://justastart.org/52-new-street/.