Housing Headlines

TEWKSBURY --- The town's local housing partnership recently held a public workshop to inform residents about its affordable housing supply and how the 2020 census is expected to impact its percentage of affordable housing, and also to hear from developer James Andella about his plans to apply to the town for a Ch. 40B land use permit in order to build 75 mixed-income apartments on a parcel at the corner of Astle and Main streets.

FRAMINGHAM --- City officials are displeased with developer Howard Fafard's latest design for an new active adult housing development on rural Grove Street, saying the 46-duplex, six single-family home project is abou tthe same size as the one originally submitted and critiqued last year.

HAMILTON --- In a sign that the town and a nonprofit may finally be reaching an agreement that they hope will be palatable to all, the Hamilton Affordable Housing Trust and the nonprofit Harborlight Community Partners have come to a tentative agreement in which the trust will allocate $300,000 to support the nonprofit in the building of 40 affordable apartments for families on Longmeadow Way near the high school.

BOSTON --- Boston Magazine contributor Rachel Slade is rooting for developer John Rosenthal and his Fenway Center project as the next step in healing the big east-west gash that is the Mass Pike and stitching back together old neighborhoods in the heart of the city.

DANVERS --- In a story we didn't see when it was published, Danvers held a public forum in January to discuss the creation of a smart growth zoning district in a 14-acre area around Maple Street which is currently an industrial area near downtown that features Hotwatt, an electric heater manufacturer.

FRAMINGHAM --- With two key commercial tenants either out or questionable, the owners of Shoppers World are back before city leaders with a new mixed-use plan that includes 175 apartments, 30,500 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a parking garage, sidewalks to Logan Express and a bike trail leading to nearby commuter rail. Back when Framingham was a town, the planning board OK'd Ohion-based DDR's plan to build 130 units and commercial space that would include a bowling alley and an amusement center that included simulated sky diving.