Housing construction to proceed on Lowell church site
By Jennifer Myers, jmyers@lowellsun.com
Updated: 05/04/2011 06:36:00 AM EDT
LOWELL -- The vacant Gorham Street lot that was once the site of the majestic St. Peter's Church is slated for construction of two six-story, 24-townhouse unit buildings for 48 middle-income families.
The Coalition for a Better Acre recently purchased the vacant lot at 305 Gorham St., as well as the remaining former rectory building at 327 Gorham St., from James Cooney. Cooney's real-estate and insurance office will remain as a tenant in the former rectory building, as will the law offices of John W. Coddaire III, Daniel R. Tenczar and Eric Schutzbank.
The proposed project will include 36 two-bedroom, four one-bedroom and eight three-bedroom rental units for families earning less than 60 percent of the area median income, CBA Executive Director Emily Rosenbaum said.
That figure translates into a minimum income of $29,000 and a maximum of $53,000 for a family of four.
"You have to earn enough money to be able to afford the rent," Rosenbaum said.
CBA has 402 other rental units in the city. The average CBA apartment is a two-bedroom, 950 square-foot unit, with a rent of about $850 per month, which includes utilities, CBA Director of Real Estate Madeline Nash said.
Its most recent project was a $7.5 million renovation of the former St. Joseph High School on Merrimack Street into six one-bedroom, 14 two-bedroom, and two three-bedroom units.
Construction is underway on a 23-unit building at 474-486 Moody St., Unity Place, on a lot that, until last year, housed two dilapidated multi-family homes.
As the city's only community development corporation, CBA saw a need to branch out to the city's other neighborhoods, Rosenbaum said.
"There is a demand for this type of affordable, quality housing in every part of the city," she said.
The $15 million Gorham Street project will be the first undertaken by the 28-year-old agency outside the Acre neighborhood.
The 34,000-square-foot neo-Gothic St. Peter's Church opened in 1900. Its final Mass was held June 15, 1986, and it fell to a four-ton wrecking ball in spring 1996.
About nine years ago, Cooney, who has a long history of rehabilitating historic buildings downtown, purchased the site. With limited interest from private developers, though, no projects got off the ground.
"It (the rectory) is a classic and I was concerned about its future," Cooney said. "I have done some work with the CBA and really admire what they do; they set a standard that others should live up to."
So when Nash came knocking, Cooney was happy to answer.
"It is a part of town that needs a little more density and it has been neglected," Cooney said. "Right now, the lot where the church was is a pretty piece of grass, but it does not provide taxes, and giving people appropriate housing is so important."
Rosenbaum said the project will provide construction jobs and help stimulate the economy in the neighborhood, downtown and in the soon-to-be-redeveloped Hamilton Canal District.
She said the soonest construction on the site could start is fall 2012, due to the complex funding process. The agency is seeking funding from the commonwealth's Department of Housing and Community Development, the city's HOME program, and NeighborWorks America, a national nonprofit organization that works to help develop affordable housing.
CBA awarded a $475,000 grant
CBA has been awarded a $475,000 “Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing” grant from NeighborWorks America (NWA) in a special funding round which will enable us to install solar panels at North Canal after installing new roofs on many of the buildings. This grant award was in the category of the largest grants given out in this special capital competition.
PRESS RELEASE FROM CONGRESSWOMAN NIKI TSONGAS MASSACHUSETTS FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Contact John Noble: phone: 202.225.3411; email: john.noble@mail.house.gov Organizations in Lowell and Lawrence receive federal funds to advance affordable housing.
LOWELL, MA – July 7, 2010 – Coalition for A Better Acre (CBA) in Lowell and Lawrence Community Works (LCW) have been awarded $475,000 and $340,000 in federal funds respectively to help advance their work in providing affordable housing for area residents. The two grants were awarded by NeighborWorks America, a nonprofit organization created by Congress that has focused in recent years on assisting communities that have been hit hard by the foreclosure crisis.
“The ‘Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing’ grant from NeighborWorks America will make CBA’s North Canal Apartments, already a great place to live, even better, said Emily W. Rosenbaum, Executive Director, Coalition for a Better Acre. “It will afford CBA the opportunity to install new roofs and solar panels to make the property even greener and more energy efficient just three years after we are able to make other energy improvements and upgrades. It’s a win, win, win for Lowell, the property and North Canal residents!”
“For the last 8 years, NWA has been a steadfast supporter of our efforts in Lawrence to offer quality affordable homes to families,” said Bill Traynor Executive Director, Lawrence CommunityWorks. “These funds come at a critical time and give us the opportunity to reclaim foreclosed and neglected homes and bring them back into service for people who need good homes. Funding will also help us to make our existing apartments more energy efficient, which helps the environment and Lawrence families."
“I want to congratulate Coalition for A Better Acre and Lawrence Community Works for receiving these competitive grant funds,” said Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. “Both are deserving recipients who do such much everyday to help strengthen and revitalize our communities. These federal funds also help create jobs in addition to providing more affordable housing options, making this award an all-around excellent investment.”
John W. Noble
Communications Director
Rep. Niki Tsongas
202-225-3411
