BOSTON – September 9, 2026 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, has begun construction on McDevitt Senior Homes, a 31,000 SF adaptive reuse project that will transform the former St. Augustine’s Convent and Paraclete Center in South Boston into affordable senior housing for South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation (South Boston NDC).
Located at 207 E Street, the approximately $15.7 million project will create 35 affordable apartments for seniors, one manager’s unit, and shared resident spaces. The five-story existing building will undergo a full interior renovation and exterior restoration, and a new addition will be constructed at the rear of the property. The first floor will feature a lobby and mail room, with a sitting room on the second floor and shared laundry and lounge space on the fifth floor.
Originally built as a convent and later home to the Paraclete Center, the building will be thoughtfully restored to preserve its character and place within the South Boston neighborhood. The project will retain defining elements of the existing property such as the front yard, entrance way, and fifth floor solarium.
Significant structural modifications will strengthen the existing building and connect it to the new addition. New steel and wood bracing will reinforce the existing structure, while exterior restoration work will serve to maintain its existing aesthetic. Because the original building is undergoing a full gut renovation, the project team will carefully evaluate conditions uncovered during demolition and incorporate unforeseen existing conditions into the design and construction process as needed.
The project is supported by $5.145 million from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and the Community Preservation Fund and $850,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. Construction began in July 2026 and is being performed under Boston Residents Jobs Policy and Section 3 labor requirements, with participation goals of 30% MBE and 10% WBE subcontracting. The project officially broke ground on Thursday, August 20, with the Mayor’s Office of Housing, South Boston NDC, Age Strong, elected officials, community partners, and residents gathering to mark the occasion.
The project team members for McDevitt Senior Homes include:
- Owner: South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation
- Owner’s Representative: Jonathan Lavash Project Management
- Construction Manager: Kaplan Construction
- Architect: ICON Architecture
- Structural Engineer: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
- MEP/FP Engineer: Wozny/Barber & Associates
- Civil Engineer: Joyce Consulting Group
- Landscape Architect: RBLA Design
- Geotechnical Engineer: Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
Images courtesy of Utile and Ginger DeShaney