Housing Headlines

LOWELL --- Two weeks after touring three Trinity Financial housing developments in Boston, Ayer selectman Jim Fay visted the company's revitalization of Lowell's Appleton Mills into 130 apartments. Fay was impressed by the project and said he felt Trinity would do a good job with its proposal to build 246 apartments at the former Fort Devens military site. Trinity is in the process of convincing three abutting towns - Ayer, Shirley and Harvard - to OK the project.

HARVARD --- After a meeting with the state, the town has agreed to use its local housing trust to make mortgage payments on its two small affordable housing properties through March, thus delaying until April foreclosure proceedings on the loan supporting The Inn and Great Elms.

ROXBURY/JAMAICA PLAIN --- Urban Edge developers recently began green renovations on the Urban Edge Apartments (UE Apartments) in Boston's Roxbury and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods. The complex consists of 82 units of occupied, affordable rental housing in 10 buildings on seven sites across the two neighborhoods.

EASTON --- Local officials are hoping that the redevelopment of the historic Ames shovel factory into 113 apartments will trigger downtown growth. The project, expected to begin construction on Feb. 1, includes a wastewater treatment plant and a sewer district that will cover the village business district.

YARMOUTH --- Residents in the unfinished Mill Pond development have been left with the job of collecting condo fees and paying for the operation of a wastewater treatment plant after the developers defaulted on the project. Only 61 of the 136 townhouse condominiums were built when the economy stalled the project.

DORCHESTER --- This past summer, the Hendry Street Neighborhood Watch held a block party to commemorate its activities and the neighborhood's success at revitalizing foreclosed and distressed properties. (Note: MHP missed this story when it was published on July 28 but felt we should bring it to your attention. The story includes a video about the neighborhood, once referred to by the Boston Herald as "ground zero" for foreclosures in Boston).