The partnership and housing concept
A December 2017 article reported that Newton-based National Development was working with New York-based Ollie on a proposed co-living building at Ink Block in Boston’s South End. The proposal called for 14 stories and approximately 245 apartments, many smaller than 400 square feet.
The account distinguished private space for sleeping, cooking and bathing from shared lounges, terraces and recreation areas. The project was presented as a different arrangement from an ordinary roommate apartment, with community activities extending beyond each resident’s private unit.
The proposed services and lease terms
Plans described custom furniture in some homes, housekeeping for linens and towels, included Wi-Fi and cable, and a live-in community manager arranging events such as tastings and tours. These were proposed services, not established amenities or promises to prospective tenants.
The developers anticipated rents roughly 10% below comparable nearby homes and proposed one- and two-year leases. Smaller apartments were part of that pricing argument. The forecast does not establish a current discount, final lease term or affordable-housing eligibility.
Approval was still pending
The article said Boston Planning and Development Agency approval was still required, with National Development hoping to begin in early 2018. Its favorable discussion of zoning and reception was not a final approval or construction result.
One paragraph incorrectly called the proposal a “14-unit” building, while the main account consistently described 14 stories and approximately 245 apartments. The story count is retained; the isolated unit reference is not treated as a second project.
Community claims and their limits
The report’s broader theme was whether private apartments plus shared services could help people establish social connections in a costly city. It discussed the transition from college living to work and independent housing. Those observations do not mean all younger renters prefer the same arrangement, or that co-living guarantees affordability, friendship or a particular lifestyle.
Historical account attributed to the original Boston City Properties article. Underlying records and later outcomes have not been freshly verified.