Apartments at Suffolk Downs have started pre-leasing. Studios begin at $2,350.

The first residents will be able to move into Amaya, a 475-unit building, in June.

Amaya tenants who move in this summer will be the first in a development large enough to be essentially a new neighborhood. The HYM Investment Group

By Christopher Gavin

April 22, 2024

Pre-leasing at the first housing development inside the reimagined Suffolk Downs is off to the races.

As of Thursday, prospective tenants can now pony up to secure their apartments in Amaya, a 475-unit development that will be the first residential complex to open amid the massive transformation of the 161-acre horse racing track site on the East Boston-Revere border.

Studios start at $2,350 per month, while one-bedroom and two-bedroom units begin at $3,100 and $4,425, respectively. Amaya will welcome its first tenants in June.

“As the first residential project delivered within Suffolk Downs, Amaya represents a new standard of modern living in the Greater Boston area, with high-quality residences, a vibrant community experience and unparalleled amenities,” Thomas N. O’Brien, managing partner and CEO of HYM Investment Group, one of the developers behind the complex — in partnership with Cathexis and National Real Estate Advisors — said in a statement.

“We are proud to bring this vision to life and look forward to welcoming our first residents to Beachmont Square.”

Amaya tenants who move in this summer will be the first residents of a mixed-use development large enough to be essentially a new neighborhood.

Boston officials approved the $8 billion redevelopment in 2020, giving the green light to the city’s largest development project ever.

amaya-lobby-suffolk-downs — A rendering of the lobby. – Courtesy of HYM Investment Group

When completed, Suffolk Downs will span 10,000 residential units (or 10.15 million square feet of housing), 450,000 square feet of retail, 5.2 million square feet of life science and office spaces, and 400,000 square feet of hotels.

Amaya will be connected to “a lively community hub of neighborhood retail, open space and civic spaces within Beachmont Square, a 1.7 million-square-foot, vibrant mixed-use neighborhood serving as a gateway to all of Suffolk Downs,” according to a press release.

“We are thrilled to begin our pre-leasing efforts at Amaya today,” Ron Moss, General Manager at Bozzuto, the management company overseeing Amaya, said in a statement Thursday.

“Located in the heart of Beachmont Square, Amaya offers residents high-quality amenities, ground-level retail, and easy access to Boston. We look forward to welcoming residents to Amaya’s exceptional offerings this summer.”

amaya-kitchen-suffolk-downs — A rendering of one of the apartment kitchens. – Courtesy of HYM Investment Group

The eight-story Amaya sits on the Revere side of the property, directly off the Beachmont MBTA station. The site was once adjacent to the horse stables, back when Suffolk Downs hosted horse racing, a spokesperson for Amaya told Boston.com in an email.

“A few nods to the site’s former racetrack can be found throughout some of the artwork at Amaya, and there are plans for the full Suffolk Downs site to weave the history and artifacts from the racetrack throughout the physical open space, in the roadway naming, public art and more,” the spokesperson wrote.

Amenities include a pet spa, a fitness center, lounges and work-from-home spaces, a secure package room, and a game room and arcade with a bar area.

There will also be a terrace and two courtyards to offer access to a swimming pool, seating areas, fire pits, a lounge with grills, and “outdoor fitness activities,” according to a press release.

amaya-courtyard-suffolk-downs — A rendering of a planned courtyard. – Courtesy of HYM Investment Group

An in-building parking garage features electric vehicle chargers and bike racks with “fix-it stations,” the release said. There are 191 on-site parking spaces.

“Amaya will bring 24,000 square feet of dynamic ground-level retail offerings for the public and will create a destination for all residents of Revere, with a focus on exciting food and beverage concepts, coffee and fitness studios,” the spokesperson said. “On-street parking and surface parking lots will be available for visitors to Beachmont Square.”

The Track at Suffolk Downs — the historic race track — is also open to the public daily during the summer for walking, running, and playing and for community events. The Stage at Suffolk Downs, the outdoor music concert series, will open for its second season on May 18.

As part of pledged commitments to mitigate the impact of the massive project on nearby communities, developers have so far donated nearly $2.8 million to the city of Boston — including $2.5 million for the city’s affordable housing fund — and $11 million to the MBTA, along with approximately $1 million to various East Boston and Revere community groups and initiatives, according to the spokesperson.

In total, HYM Investment Group has pledged more than $337 million to onsite and offsite improvements, such as the creation of 40 acres of publicly accessible open space and transit mitigation measures for the MBTA, to be paid out as the entire site is built up.

Developers have also vowed to create about 1,430 new affordable housing units and 50,000 square feet of indoor civic space, and to help improve key intersections in Revere, among other public benefits, according to the spokesperson.