Smart Growth Affordable Housing with Retail in Downtown Haverhill

The Eagle Tribune reported that construction has begun for redeveloping the Charles Hayes Building on Granite Street in downtown Haverhill, near the train station.  The Boston Archdiocese's nonprofit Planning Office for Urban Affairs is converting the old factory to include 57 one- and two-bedroom homes — 33 apartments that will be reserved for low- and middle-income renters, and 24 that will initially be rentals and then converted to condominiums within 5 years. 19 of the condos will be sold to middle-income buyers and 5 will be market-rate units.

This is the third major factory-to-housing conversion in downtown Haverhill; the first that will feature retail space on the ground floor. The developer's agreement with the city calls for 3 retail businesses on Granite Street, which faces the Washington Street train station and is across from the Railroad Square property, where the city is building a $10 million parking garage this summer.

The property at 14-44 Granite St. is actually two historic mill buildings — a six-story building that was constructed in 1894, and a seven-story addition built in 1911. Various manufacturers set up shop in the buildings over the years, including an electrical equipment maker, photo finisher, and millwork producer.

According to the article, Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said the city's adoption Chapter 40R – smart growth - played a major role in the agency choosing Haverhill for the housing project.

The city used the law to create a 53-acre zone downtown where building housing is faster, easier and potentially less costly than outside the zone. Proposals in the district are no longer subject to reviews by multiple city boards and they cannot be stopped by the City Council. Under the old zoning rules, proposals to convert large factories to housing required a special permit from the council. Now, a housing proposal in the zone only needs to meet pre-approved design standards and undergo a review by the council.

The Granite Street project is the 2nd large housing development since the council approved the 40R district. The other is the $75 million, 305-unit Hamel Mills Lofts by Forest City Enterprises of Cleveland. The $39 million, 146-unit Cordovan complex on Locust Street was the 1st of the large factory-to-housing conversions.

Read the entire Eagle Tribune article.