Housing Headlines

BEVERLY --- With Mayor Michael Cahill mentioning the possibility in his state of the city address, the nonprofit Harborlight Community Partners is optimistic about its plans to build 61 apartments on an empty Sohier Road parcel, even though it knows it make take years to get the permitting and put the financing together.

BOSTON --- At a March 1 meeting with the city's design commission, Feldco Development and Elma Lewis Partners unveiled revised plans for Tremont Crossing, this time proposing a 26-story residential tower, a 31-story residential tower, and a 12-story office tower, a hotel, a museum for the National Center of Afro-American Artists, a mix of destination and neighborhood retail and an open-air pedestrian plaza. The proposal differs substantially from a 2012 plan for the 7.5 acre site, which stretches from the Ruggles Station Orange Line stop east to the Madison Park High football field.

CAMBRIDGE --- Four of the five developments worth watching in Cambridge including substantial amounts of housing, according to a recent list in Curbed Boston.

BOSTON --- Natick developer Ronald Simons wants to convert the former Church of the Immaculate Conception at 771 Harrison Ave., the attached Link Building and an internal courtyard into 63 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, according to plans filed with the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

LOWELL --- While noting that the long-term aim is to give the homeless "beds they deserve," the city council has passed a measure authorizing the city manager to remove tents, trash and drug paraphernalia from an area under the Lord Highway Overpass because it's "a gateway area for the city" and should be cleaned up.

FALL RIVER --- In an effort to understand its housing situation and to develop a strategy going forward, a city-wide effort led by state Rep. Carole Fiola has resulted in the city engaging the UMass Dartmouth's Public Policy Center to do a six-month study that would quantify types of housing in the city, is this housing meeting the city's needs and what options does the city have to create housing that would address any gaps between supply and demand.