Housing Headlines

WORCESTER --- In a Sunday feature story chock full of pictures of many of the great mills in the Worcester area, reporter Elaine Thompson takes a look at how many symbols of the region's booming industrial past have been preserved as apartments, office space, breweries and other uses.

BOSTON --- Despite the high-profile failure to attract development bids for a prime parcel near Rt. 93 and Boston's southern gateway to downtown, the Baker Administration has been making progress with its Open for Business Initiative, with 27 state transportation parcels under development agreement that could represent 2,000 housing units and millions in tax revenues.

WELLESLEY --- Proposals for 20 apartments on a single-family lot on Rt. 9 and 95 apartments near the Wellesley Square commuter rail have residents and town officials concerned over various municipal impacts, from size and scale to traffic to storm water run off to impact on local schools.

HAVERHILL --- California-based Belveron Partners has purchased a controlling share in Forest Acres Apartments, a 39-year-old 410-unit apartment complex on 19.3 acres in the Bradford section of the city. Lowell-based Princeton Properties will assume management of the property. Founded in 2006, Belveron owns 35 properties in Massachusetts, totaling 6,000 units.

NEWTON --- As one multifamily development a stone's throw from the MassPike and rail transit prepares to break ground after several court challenges, developer Robert Korff's just-approved plans to turn eight nearby buildings into a 160-unit mixed-use development will have to wait as residents have filed three suits to challenge the city council's recent narrow approval.

DARTMOUTH --- The town's efforts to create multifamily zoning to help redevelop the Route 6 business corridor is back on the front burner, as the planning board is once again discussing whether to bring to Town Meeting an amendment that would allow multifamily apartments on designated lots within the business district. Preliminary discussions have centered on lots of 15 acres or more, with five to six units allowed per acre.