GROVELAND — The developers of an apartment complex have heeded neighbors' complaints and altered the project so it has less impact on the area.
The Coming Home Inc. organization planned to demolish buildings like the former Richdale store and St. Patrick's Church rectory on property at the corner of Salem and Washington streets that was bought by the organization. The demolition would have cleared the property for construction of 15 housing units for lower-income people.
Coming Home Inc. met with neighbors at two public meetings in the fall, and got negative feedback on the plan. As a result, the organization has decided to rehabilitate the old buildings into housing, said John Anderson, president of Coming Home. The organization was created by St. James Episcopal Church in Groveland, Trinity Episcopal Church in Haverhill and the Episcopal City Mission group.
"We are using the buildings that already exist, so the visual impact on the neighborhood will be minimized," Anderson said. "We are really responding to concerns neighbors expressed at public hearings last fall."
The former St. Patrick's Chapel will hold a two-bedroom rental unit and a three-bedroom apartment, Anderson said. The former church rectory will hold a one-bedroom unit and two two-bedroom units, and the former St. James Parish hall will have three two bedroom units, he said. The hall will be expanded to create space for a day care during the week and a church hall on weekends, he said.
The former Richdale store building, which residents say makes the intersection of Washington and Salem streets dangerous because it is close to the road, creating visibility problems, will be moved back from the road, Anderson said. It will be on a new foundation and renovated to hold two three-bedroom apartments.
"We are moving the former Richdale back from the corner to improve sight lines," said Anderson.
He said the property will have one new building containing three apartments.
Coming Home has filed plans for the affordable housing project with selectmen. If selectmen approve, then the plans will go to the Zoning Board of Appeals for approval.
The homes are designed for families making 30 to 80 percent of the average area income. For a family of four, 80 percent of that income would be $61,000, Anderson said.
With the economy getting worse or even in its current state, Anderson believes affordable housing is more important now than ever.
"Unemployment has risen dramatically and there have been a number of foreclosures" he said. "The need for this is even greater than when the project was first proposed."
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