August 18, 2008

City Builders Housing Project

Story in Telegram today. Here is my review:

  1. "affordable" housing means low income
  2. 19 apartments will cost 7 million. Now add the purchase price of $500,000 and that comes to $7.5 million or 394,736 per apartment.
  3. no timetable has been set. In other words although $2 million has been committed there is still $5 million needed and nobody has any idea when this will come in.
  4. This is in fact the second project by SWNIC. The organization did recently complete complete a $2 million dollar project on Hacker and Cambridge, but only 3 of 11 units were sold and Holy Cross came in as the guarantor on the 1st mortgage

This project initially requested all sorts of variances, but when the neighbors came in opposition the project was scaled back to avoir any variances. Although better housing is needed in this area, a story story 19 unit low income apartment building is not what the neighbors had in mind.

I can state this not only as a "silly" blogger, but as the owner of a three family that directly abuts this project.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would be devastated if his happened next me

Bill Randell said...

Paulie:

Not one abutter endorsed this project. Originally they rolled it and made a presentation looking for support for the neighbors for various variances. Everyone was furious.

Drive around down here tell me how a three story 19 unit apartment building fits into this neighborhood? It does not.

Right now all the people are not happy about Cambridge/Hacker already. Drive by it.

Paulie, almost 400,000 for each apartment!!!!!!

Bill Randell said...

drive by any of these projects do you ever see any Worcester based contractors working any of these jobs?

Anonymous said...

AsI have said 2 million times now Wild Will..until we have city leaders living in D4 this will continue...any thoughts on this Kate T??? Would you want this next door to your three deckah??

Only $400K per unit:>) I always love when I hear our City Council tell us they are watching our tax dollars - yah right

Bill Randell said...

Paulie:

You are 100% right.... How many of them do you think will be at the ribbon cutting for this project?

Bet you as many that were at the ribbon cutting for Hacker and Camrbidge Street 3 years ago. Do you think any of them will wonder how that worked out?

In this city it is all about ribbon cuttings, kick-offs, etc instead of results.

Bill

Anonymous said...

Bill;

who owned the property prior to he non-profit buying?


I have looked ovah the property a number of times now..the neighborhood will limit who would buy-any other suggestions (did the city own?)