Housing Headlines

WORCESTER - The Planning Board has given developer Ding On "Tony" Kwan a second chance to move forward with plans to build a 600-unit apartment building off Franklin Street, near Union Station. The project site encompasses roughly 2.6 acres of underused property within walking distance of Union Station and next to the CSX freight terminal on Franklin Street and the Franklin Street fire station.

BOSTON --- Columnist Adrian Walker hails the $30M federal grant to support the revitalization of one of Boston's oldest public housing developments, but fears it may be a long time before we see any more support to fix projects like this.

BOSTON --- Having witnessed the success of the nearby New Balance/Boston Landing project, Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. is drawing up plans for a massive mixed-use development at its 11-acre property next to the Massachusetts Turnpike in Allston, including approximately 1,000 residential units.

WARE --- Selectmen voted recently to designate the downtown business district and surrounding residential streets a slum and blight area as a means to procure government grants. According to a recent survey by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, one-third of the 48 commercial structures appear blighted, more than three-fourths of the 17 industrial structures are in fair or poor condition and 146 of the 354 homes — 41 percent — appear either poorly maintained or are a total wreck.

ORLEANS --- At a recent Planning Board workshop, residents were given a chance to weigh in on a zoning proposal that would change the face of downtown Orleans. Under consideration is an amendment that would allow 10 housing units on 20,000 square feet in the town center, up from the current six.The zoning change could create an estimated 800 new dwelling units in the village center.

WORCESTER --- The city's hopes for the redevelopment of the Lincoln Square area has taken a step backward as developer Brady Sullivan has terminated its sale agreement with the city to purchase and develop the former Worcester County Courthouse into 115 apartments and 3,000 square feet of retail space.