On Monday, June 13, 2011, Harborlight Community Partners broke ground at the site of Firehouse Place, 69 Willow Street, in Hamilton. This is the Town's first Community Preservation Fund supported affordable housing project and will be developed and operated by HCP. Construction has begun and the building should be completed for occupancy late in 2011.
HCP was originally approached in 2008 by Hamilton community members concerned with how to preserve the building at 69 Willow Street as a space for the Acord Food Pantry. First Congregational Church parishioner, Jared Ward, had the idea to preserve Acord's space and utilize the upper floor apartments as affordable housing. That idea is now coming to fruition after three years of perseverance. "As a lifelong resident of Hamilton and Wenham I am pleased to have been able to see my original concept come to fruition through the hard work of so many people." said Ward.
The building that once served as the Town's fire station, now named Firehouse Place, is the preserved location of Acord Food Pantry for years to come while also serving as a great example of using local Community Preservation funds to leverage regional and statewide resources for affordable housing. "We were committed to making sure that Acord would remain as a community asset and to demonstrating that small scale, well designed affordable housing is possible on the North Shore" said Harborlight Community Partners Executive Director Andrew DeFranza.
"The project is a great community
partnership that addresses a tremendous need."
Said Michael Lombardo, Hamilton Town Manager.
Following a process of meetings with the neighbors, the Town committees and boards, and other local stakeholders, a plan by North Shore architect Siemasko and Verbridge was designed. This plan called for a change to the entire exterior with an attractive gable end facing Railroad Avenue and a refreshed façade on Willow Street without the current garage doors. The final product will be great improvement to a visible part of downtown Hamilton. The building will eventually house the Acord Food Pantry with a new side access door. It will also provide a new one bedroom affordable apartment for a disabled elderly person on the first floor facing Willow Street and an additional three studio apartments on the second floor. The building footprint will not be expanded.
Funders and Financing Partners:
Town of Hamilton
Community Preservation Fund
Acord Food Pantry
North Shore HOME Consortium
First Baptist Church of Beverly
State of Massachusetts:
Department of Housing and
Community Development
- Housing Innovation Fund
- Community Based Housing
Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Community Economic
Development Assistance Corp.
Boston Community Capital
MassDevelopment
Beverly Cooperative Bank
North Shore United Way
Beverly National Bank/DanversBank
Architect: Siemasko and Verbridge
Contractor: Martins Construction
Developer: Harborlight Community Partners
