Housing Headlines

SWAMPSCOTT --- Putting aside a petition by residents asking to delay its decision, selectmen have voted to accept a proposal by Salem-based Groom Construction to redevelop the vacant middle school on Greenwood Ave. into 28 apartments.Groom originally responded to an RFP issued by the town several years ago and proposed to build 41 units but residents went to Land Court to stop it in 2014. This caused Groom to sue the town for breach of contract. Residents are now accusing selectmen of capitulating to Groom to make the old suit go away.

ANDOVER --- Real Estate developer Sal Lupoli is hoping that spring Town Meeting will OK a warrant that will allow for housing to be built on a 16-acre commercial-retail site he is developing near Interstate 93. In addition redeveloping part of one building and building nine new commercial buildings, Lupoli would like to add 225 studio and one-bedroom apartments, one-third of which would be restricted to households 55 and over.

QUINCY --- The setting for Governor Charlie Baker's unveiling of a $1.3 billion housing bond bill earlier this week was a long-vacant parcel at Quincy Point, which Winn Companies and NeighborWorks Southern Mass will be developing into 140 apartments. To be called The Watson, the city is supporting the project with $1.25 million from its housing trust. Baker's bond bill proposal calls for $650 million for public housing, $400 million for affordable housing financing, and $216 million for housing serving vulnerable populations.

BOSTON --- With South Bay in the middle of a massive $200 million residential and commercial development, the last of the single-family homeowners are poised to finally cash in, with one third generation homeowner looking to sell her properties for $6 million.

METHUEN --- With the approval of a 156-unit proposal and two other 40B proposals on the horizon, Methuen is on the verge of having more than 10 percent of its housing affordable, which will give it greater control over development proposals.

MALDEN --- With Cambridge and Somerville home prices out of reach for many, the next hot market for housing may be Malden, which the real estate company Redfine recently ranked as the sixth hottest market in the country due mainly to its Malden Center MBTA stop, which puts residents within 10 minutes of downtown Boston.