Housing Headlines

BEVERLY --- Plans to revitalize Rantoul Street and the neighborhood near the commuter rail appear to be heating up again as a local developer has outlined plans to build more apartments. Windover Construction of nearby Manchester is proposing to build 45 one- and two-bedroom rental apartments on the former Kelly Infiniti car dealership lot. This would be Windover's third project in this area as it built the Depot Square condos in 2006 and is building 38 rental apartments onRantoul Street. Windover president Lee Dellicker said the rental apartments at both locations could eventually be sold as condos if the economy improves.

WESTFORD --- After a series of public meetings, the town's zoning board of appeals has granted Princeton Properties a comprehensive (40B) permit to build 200 rental apartments (40 affordable) near the Chelmsford line. Because the town OK'd the zoning change to allow multi-family rental housing, the state will count all 200 units toward Westford's subsidized inventory of affordable housing.

WILMINGTON --- Real estate development firm The Federated Companies recently purchased a 12-acre development site with plans to build a 40B mixed-income rental community. The project, called Legacy Park Wilmington, will consist of two, three-story garden buildings contain 108 units and an enclosed 35-space parking garage. Of the 108 units, 28 will be designated as affordable. Construction on the complex is set to begin in spring 2012 with pre-leasing expected to begin in 2013.

BELMONT--- Despite a recent setback in state court, neighbors and environmentalists will continue to fight a plan by O'Neill Properties Group to build 298 units of rental housing on privately owned land amid the 120-acre Alewife Brook Reservation.

WESTPORT - Selectmen recently voted to select Community Builders, Inc. as the designated developer of Noquochoke Village, a 50-unit affordable and mixed-income housing development on town-owned land off American Legion Highway. (Note: The Massachusetts Housing Partnership provided technical assistance to the town to help it plan for affordable housing on this property).

YARMOUTH --- A small nonprofit organization called Our First Home plans to renovate seven existing houses within the next couple of years and sell them for $129,000 to $149,000 to people of limited means. The nonprofit is working in partnership with the town's BuyDown Program, which hopes to renovate and sell 25 to 30 houses over the next three years. The town has supported Our First Home's efforts with $430,000 from its affordable housing trust fund.