BOSTON, MA— Boston’s ongoing push to convert underutilized office buildings into housing has resulted in 762 new residential units spread across 15 projects, according to a comprehensive analysis by Grant Welker of the Boston Business Journal (BBJ).
The units, totaling more than 606,000 square feet of converted space, stem from the city’s office-to-residential incentive program, launched by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration to reimagine downtown post-pandemic while addressing Boston’s growing housing shortage.
While the numbers may seem modest—especially considering that downtown Boston alone has roughly 36 million square feet of office space—the effort is seen as a strategic tool to gradually reshape the urban core, diversify use, and draw more residents into commercial districts.
“In the Wu administration’s efforts to help find new uses for empty office space, every little bit is seen as helping,” writes Grant Welker in the BBJ.
According to the report, developers must submit proposals by the end of 2025 to qualify for the program, which provides 29 years of tax abatement for projects that meet affordability requirements and preserve ground-floor retail.
All 15 Office-to-Residential Conversion Projects in Boston (As of April 2025 as reported by BBJ):
| Address | Applicant | Neighborhood | Units | Residential Sq. Ft. | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Milk St. | Dinosaur Capital | Downtown | 110 | 95,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 85 Devonshire St. | KS Partners | Downtown | 95 | 87,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 95 Berkeley St. | CIM Group | South End | 92 | 80,000 sq. ft. | Applied for incentive approval |
| 15 Court Square | KS Partners | Downtown | 80 | 73,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 283 Summer St. | Adam Burns | Fort Point | 77 | 53,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 10 Liberty Square / 12 Post Office Square | Edge Property | Downtown | 70 | 47,000 sq. ft. | Submitted for permitting approval |
| 123 N. Washington St. | Copper Mill | North End | 34 | 33,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 4 Liberty Square | Greg McCarthy | Downtown | 36 | 23,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 1, 10 Emerson Place | Equity Residential | West End | 33 | 20,000 sq. ft. | Submitted for permitting approval |
| 615 Albany St. | Greg McCarthy | South End | 24 | 20,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 2, 5 Longfellow Place | Equity Residential | West End | 24 | 13,000 sq. ft. | Submitted for permitting approval |
| 129 Portland St. | Greg McCarthy | Bulfinch Triangle | 25 | 22,000 sq. ft. | Approved |
| 295 Franklin St. | Franklin Holdings | Downtown | 18 | 14,000 sq. ft. | Submitted for permitting approval |
| 75 Central St. | Wingate | Downtown | 18 | 15,000 sq. ft. | Applied for incentive approval |
| 281 Franklin St. | Adam Burns | Downtown | 15 | 11,000 sq. ft. | Under construction |
Source: All project data above was reported by Grant Welker in the May 27, 2025 edition of the Boston Business Journal.
Why Conversions Are Gaining Ground
Many of the approved or proposed conversions involve older buildings with small footprints, which are more easily adapted to residential use. As Grant Welker notes, newer or larger office towers—still attractive to tenants—are rarely viable for conversions due to structural and financial constraints.
According to BBJ, the real estate site CommercialCafe estimates that only 12% of high-end office space and 22% of second-tier office space in Boston’s central business district is suited for residential reuse. Still, because of Boston’s size, up to 22 million square feet across the metro area could eventually be converted.
What’s Next
Developers must submit plans by the end of 2025 and begin construction by the end of 2026 to be eligible for the city’s generous tax abatement. Several of the projects are still in early permitting phases, while 281 Franklin St. has already begun construction.
As the deadline approaches, housing advocates and city officials hope more developers will take advantage of the program—not only to reduce office vacancy, but also to inject new life into downtown streets with residents, retail activity, and foot traffic.
Read the Full Report
For more detailed reporting and updates on each project, read Grant Welker’s full article at the Boston Business Journal.
