A $31 million, 71-unit mixed-income rental property, which opened late last month in Lynn, Mass., is the first development funded by MassHousing’s $100 million Workforce Housing Initiative, through which the administration of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has pledged to build 1,000 workforce housing units.
This program targets individuals and families with incomes of 61% to 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), who don’t qualify for other affordable housing programs. MassHousing confirms that the Initiative provided $1.6 million in subsidies for the 10 workforce housing units in the abovementioned apartment building, known as Gateway North Residences.
Lynn is a working-class, minority-majority town of 92,000 people whose average age is around 34. Its median household income is just under $51,000, but the town also has a 20% poverty rate, according to statistics compiled by Data USA.
Eight of the units in the five-floor Gateway North went to homeless people whose incomes were less than 30% of AMI. Forty-five of the units are reserved for lower-income households up to 61% of AMI. Each of these renter groups will pay lower rents as a result of tax credits and subsidies provided by state and local authorities.
The rents for eight of the units are market rate.
According to Gateway’s website, the 18 one-bedroom apartments range from 627 to 777 sf; the 46 two bedrooms from 865 to 900 sf; and the seven three-bedroom units from 1,238 to 1,300 sf. Market-rate rents range from $1,700 to $2,950 per month. Mixed-income gross rents, prior to subsidies, run from $1,200 for a one bedroom to $1,963 for three bedrooms.
The apartment building is located across from North Shore Community College and a short walk to the Central Square commuter rail station. The project was created in response to the Washington District Master Plan, initiated by Lynn Housing and Neighborhood Development, funded by the state Department of Housing and Community Development, and executed by Sasaki Associates.
Washington Gateway Associates LP is owned by partners Neighborhood Development Associates and Hub Holdings LLC. Lynn Housing and Neighborhood Development is managing the building.
The Building Team on this project included The Architectural Team (design architect), Bilt Rite Construction (GC), Wakefield Beasley & Associates (MEP), and Veitas and Veitas Engineering (SE).
Michael Lui, AIA, NCARB, Vice President and Principal with The Architectural Team, notes that this project dates back to 2013, when the developers acquired 2.5 acres of vacant land in the heart of Lynn’s Central Square.
Lui says that what was different about Gateway North, from other workforce projects his firm has worked on, was the collaboration between the state and local housing authorities., which he says made the design and construction processes somewhat easier “because both sides had the same goal.”
MassHousing so far has committed $57.5 million in workforce housing funds to 25 projects located in 14 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The funds will help to build 2,309 housing units, including 616 new workforce housing units.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Structure Tone, Turner among the nation's busiest reconstruction contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 75 Reconstruction Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Skanska completes $74 million Harbor Towers project six months ahead of schedule
Skanska USA Building Inc. announced the completion of a $74 million rehabilitation project at Harbor Towers, a 40-story luxury condominium complex comprising two towers located on Boston’s waterfront. Skanska served as Program Manager and oversaw the repair and replacement work that dramatically enhanced the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency of the buildings’ MEP systems.
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Manitoba Hydro Place, Tornado Tower among world's 'best tall buildings,' according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat last week announced the winners of its annual “Best Tall Building” awards for 2009, recognizing one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia & Australia, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. This year’s winners are: Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Canada; Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China; The Broadgate Tower, London, UK; Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar.
| Aug 11, 2010
Call for entries: Building enclosure design awards
The Boston Society of Architects and the Boston chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC-Boston) have announced a High Performance Building award that will assess building enclosure innovation through the demonstrated design, construction, and operation of the building enclosure.
| Aug 11, 2010
CampusBrands Inc., NYLO Hotels team to launch student housing franchise brand
Which would you choose: the cramped quarters, thin mattresses, and crowded communal bathrooms of dormitory life or a new type of student housing with comfortable couches, a game room, fitness center, Wi-Fi in every room, flat-screen televisions and maybe even a theater?
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.
| Aug 11, 2010
New website highlights government tax incentives for large commercial buildings
Energy Retrofit Group (ERG), the subsidiary of 40-year-old, award-winning Adache Group Architects, Inc., has announced the creation of their new energy conservation web site: www.energy-rg.com.