October 2026 High-Profile: Up-Front 11
Kaplan Begins Work on McDevitt Senior Homes
Boston – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor, has begun construction on McDevitt Senior Homes, a 31,000sf 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).
McDevitt Senior Homes Rendering by ICON Architecture
Located at 207 E St., 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
Project partners, city officials and community members break ground on
McDevitt Senior Homes in South Boston / Photo by Ginger DeShaney 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, entranceway, and fifth-floor solarium.
“ For generations, the former St. Augustine’ s Convent was a place of community and service,” said Donna Brown, executive director of South Boston
NDC.“ McDevitt Senior Homes allows us to honor that legacy by giving the building a new purpose – providing affordable homes for seniors who want to remain in South Boston. We’ re grateful to Kaplan Construction and our project partners for helping us repurpose this neighborhood landmark for the community.”
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 Aug. 20, with the Mayor’ s Office of Housing, South Boston NDC, Age Strong, elected officials, community partners and residents gathering to mark the occasion.
South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation is the owner, with Jonathan Lavash Project Management as owner’ s representative. Kaplan Construction is the construction manager and ICON Architecture the architect. Simpson Gumpertz & Heger is the structural engineer, Wozny / Barber & Associates the MEP / FP engineer, Joyce Consulting Group the civil engineer, RBLA Design the landscape architect and Haley & Aldrich, Inc. the geotechnical engineer.
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