Housing Headlines

BROCKTON --- Despite threats of eminent domain, his pre-development funding frozen and his partnership with Boston developer Ted Carmen kaput, Brockton Furniture owner John Monem remains defiant and hopeful that he will be able to turn his downtown store into 51 apartments as part of a $12 million renovation.

BOSTON ---The Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) and the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT) Fund have awarded more than $15 million in funds to seven rental projects across Boston. These awards will help fund the production and preservation of 354 units of affordable housing in Boston. Developments receiving awards include projects in Dorchester, the Fenway, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill and Roxbury.

MILTON --- After years of discussion about how to redevelop the former Hendries Ice Cream factory site, demolition is expected to begin in April and is expected to take two months. After that, developer Steve Connelly will begin construction on mixed-use building with 38 condominiums and 3,800 square feet of first floor retail space. Construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months.

DRACUT --- Selectmen have voted to OK the town's plan to allow Lowell-based nonprofit Coalition for a Better Acre to redevelop the former Centre School/Town Hall Annex into eight affordable apartments for veterans. The town is expected to support the plan with $200,000. This would be CBA's second development outside of Lowell following its recent Welcome Home Veterans Housing Project in Haverhill.

MASHPEE --- In its continuing effort to add housing and a walkable neighborhood feel to the Mashpee Commons shopping area, developers are proposing to seek a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit so it can build 10 more apartments, raising the number to 32 in the Market Street expansion phase.

WORCESTER --- City councilors may consider measures that would control what they see as a rise in property owners paving the front lawns to allow for more parking. Before considering measures, the city council has ordered that a study be done to estimate how often this has been done. A primary concern is that paving over front lawns often result in unauthorized curb cuts, which end up eliminating on-street parking spaces for other neighborhood residents. City permission is required whenever an opening is made into a curb on a public street.