The Fenway CDC is clearing the way for its next major housing project, revitalizing a faltering apartment building with more affordable housing and broader access.

20 Charlesgate West has been women’s only housing since the 1940s, but in recent years has been transitioning to student housing and forcing some longtime residents out. Now the Fenway Community Development Corporation (CDC) wants to renovate the property and open it up to all Bostonians.

The project held its first public meeting on September 19, with the public comment period closing on September 25.

The CDC outlined an ambitious plan, both in its refurbishment and in the financing of the apartments. Overall capacity would drop from 140 beds to 86 apartments, but all 86 units would be affordable housing, with 22 of those refitted as permanent supportive housing, 19 as one-bedroom apartments and 45 as studio apartments. The rent would be set at 30%-60% of the area median income for almost all units, with 5 set aside for existing tenants but still falling under the umbrella of affordable housing. Those current residents would have to relocate for the 18–20 month construction process.

The building would now be open to tenants of all gender identities, not just those identifying as women.

The block would have 24/7 security, a fitness center, several community rooms, a library and its own mail and package room, plus other health and wellness facilities. Services for the permanent supportive housing will be provided by St. Francis House, one of the largest and most successful nonprofits in the area when it comes to assisting Boston’s disadvantaged.

The building will be refitted to be entirely electric and up to compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, further expanding its potential tenant population for its 9 accessible apartments.

“One of the big pieces of this program is making this 100-year-old building that wasn’t designed to meet modern accessibility requirements accessible and visible for anybody,” said Phil Crean, an urban planner with the Planning Office of Urban Affairs. “Post-rehab it will be open to everybody of any gender as well. Part of that is from our financing, we have to follow fair housing requirements, but we also just think this will make it a better building.”

Security will keep its current 24/7 guard with improved lighting outside along with existing cameras. The CDC might change its setup to exclusively watch the outside, a nod to past misuse by building management.

“Cameras inside the building were used to spy on and make fun of the tenants and stop them from organizing against the problems they had,” said Rich Giordano, a senior

advisor for the Fenway CDC. “We want to have security for the residents with cameras on the outside, but we don’t want any to feel like they’re being spied upon. The old management used to sit in their office and watch the residents and make fun of them.

So cameras are a bit touchy, but we’re gonna do it the right way.”

A timeline from the city office of housing, which helped finance the acquisition in October 2023, puts the intended completion date somewhere around spring 2027.