Housing Headlines

WORCESTER --- With the notorious downtown five-story Albion rooming house seeming to have stabilized under new Michael O'Rourke, the License Commission has OK'd the new owner's request to add four rooms, which would push the number of rooms to 72 and the number of residents from 88 to 100. O'Rourke's lawyer told the commission that the plans to create the four more rooms have been presented to the city's building department, and the department is prepared to approve them.

TRURO --- Prompted by Town Meeting's OK, a visit by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and the Baker Administration's interest in seeing vacant state land be put to use, the town is moving forward with plans to by a 3.91 acre parcel of land near the Rt. 6 off ramp in North Truro so it can be developed into year-round affordable housing.

NATICK --- Calling it a "terrific project" that will have minimal impacts on traffic and adding children to the schools while yielding revenue for the town, the NatickPlanning Board has OK'd Newton-based National Development's plan to convert the former Sam's Club retail site on Rt. 9 and Speen Street into a 135-room hotel and 164 apartments for seniors 62 and older.

SOMERVILLE --- In line with a 2015 report commissioned by the city that rising property values are making the city too expensive for many longtime lower- and middle-income residents, renters at a 25-unit brick building near Davis Square are complaining that the new owner has initiated steep rate hikes, disruptive construction work and eviction notices.

BOSTON --- With the closing on its $155 million purchase expected to be completed on May 26, HYM Investment Group, is expected to begin the long process of turning the 161-acre Suffolk Downs race track site into another Assembly Row or Boston Landing, with a cmplex of housing, shops, restaurants and offices. HYM is led by Tom O'Brien, the former Boston Redevelopment Authority director who has been involved in other big projects like Boston Landing and NorthPoint in East Cambridge.

BOSTON --- In the same week that the new Boston Landing site opened - giving the Allston-Brighton neighborhood its first commuter rail service in 55 years - The Michaels Organization from New Jersey has filed plans to build two six-story buildings and 262 apartments within walking distance of the new Brighton Landing rail stop. This is the third major residential proposal for the neighborhood along the Mass. Turnpike.