Housing Headlines

SUNDERLAND --- The state's Supreme Judicial Court has has OK'd a Chapter 40B permit, allowing developers Paul D. Boudreau of South Hadley and Gerard N. Aubrey of Holyoke to proceed with Sugarbush Meadow, a 150-unit apartment building they first brought before the town back in 2006.

MARLBOROUGH --- Back in December, the city's Zoning Board of Appeals OK'd by a 3-2 vote a controversial Ch. 40B rental housing development. The project, dubbed Brookview Village and proposed by the Gutierrez Co. will bring in 225 units to a parcel on Ames Street off Rte. 20 on the western side of the city. The city council voted to oppose the plan this summer but other city officials like Mayor Arthur Vigeant have supported the project, saying it will provide much-needed housing opportunities for employees at nearby companies and others that plan to move to the city like TJX Companies and Boston Scientific.

DORCHESTER --- The Boston Redevelopment Authority has approved Synergy Investment's proposal to build a $60 million, 278-unit rental housing development at 25 Morrissey Boulevard, which is near the JFK/UMass MBTA station. Synergy president David Greaney intends to eventually expand his development into the adjacent Shaw's supermarket and Greater Media properties that he owns, with a "main street" cutting through rows of new buildings between Morrissey Boulevard and I-93. For more background information and a graphic illustration of the project's location, go here: http://www.dotnews.com/2012/synergy-chief-278-unit-complex-vote-confidence-dot.

AMHERST --- Hartford-based Toby Cohn Family Investments - longtime owners of the 85-unit Presidential apartments - is seeking a special permit to add 12 one-bedroom and 42 two-bedroom apartments to their property.

WATERTOWN --- An Acton-based developer recently appeared before the Planning Board with a plan to demolish a vacant one-story industrial building and build a 14-unit condo building in its place. The developer would also provide 24 parking spaces beneath the building and would reserve one unit as affordable. More information about this project will be presented at the next Planning Board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

WESTBOROUGH --- 346 Turnpike LLC developers will present their plans to build a 250-unit housing complex to the local Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) this week. The developer would construct four four-story buildings, a one-story clubhouse and several small retail buildings on a 19.8 acre parcel. Of the 250 unit, 62 would qualify as affordable housing.