City of Newton, MA
Home MenuWest Newton Armory Affordable Housing Development
Location:
1135 Washington Street
West Newton, MA 02465
Goals:
Metro West Collaborative Development and Civico Development have partnered to work with the City to develop 43 units of new affordable housing at the former West Newton Armory site. The new units will be available to households with incomes below 60% AMI, with some units set aside for households at 30% AMI, and include 15 one-bedroom, 21 two-bedroom, and 7 three-bedroom units, all of which will be visitable and five of which will be fully accessible. The project also includes the preservation and restoration of the historic head house of the building into office, gallery and community space.
Funding:
$3,000,000 Newton CPA Funds (Requested)
$930,000 Newton CDBG Funds (Requested)
$118,000 Newton HOME Funds (Requested)
$890,000 Newton Inclusionary Zoning Funds (Requested)
$222,000 WestMetro HOME Funds (Expected)
$11,485,627 LIHTC Equity (Federal 4%) Funds (Expected)
$2,064,000 State LIHTC Equity (Expected)
$1,000,000 State Housing Stabilization Funds (HSF) (Expected)
$500,000 State (HIF) (Expected)
$906,253 State (CBH) (Expected)
$1,000,000 State Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) (Expected)
$886,933 State Transit Oriented Development Fund (TOD) (Expected)
$41,500 Passive House Incentives (Requested)
$4,800,000 Permanent Loan (Expected)
$27,844,313 Total Project Cost
Contacts:
Metro West Collaborative Development
79-B Chapel St.
Newton, MA 02458
Sharone Small, Director of Real Estate
sharone@metrowestcd.org 617-465-2433
Civico Development, LLC.
40 Jackson Rd. Ste. 3200
Worcester, MA 01608
Taylor Bearden
tbearden@civicodevelopment.com 617-249-3807
Funding Process:
January 21, 2022 - Pre-Proposal submitted for CPC review at February 8 meeting including site photos and map information. The RFP and RFP Executive Summary are available review and there is additional information on the project and the City's RFP process available on the project webpage.
February 8, 2022 - Pre-Proposal Presentation to the CPC by MWCD and Civico Developers. The CPC unanimously voted to invite the applicants to submit a full proposal at the end of the project discussion and review.
March 25, 2022 - Full Proposal submitted for joint public hearing with the CPC and Planning Board on April 12, 2022. Additional materials submitted include the Metro West Community Development Financial Statements for 2019 and 2020.
March 29, 2022 - Three additional Letters of Support submitted for CPA and City Funding proposal.
April 12, 2022 - Full Proposal Presentation made at a Joint Public Hearing held by the CPC and Planning and Development Board. The CPC unanimously votes to recommend full funding of the project at the close of the public hearing.
July 11, 2022 - City Council Order issued approving full funding of the project as recommended.
2020 Pre-Development Project - Phase II Environmental Assessment
Goals:
The State has offered the City an opportunity to purchase the former West Newton Armory building and site for use as a future 100% affordable housing development. To move forward with the purchase of the site for $1, the City must complete a Phase II environmental assessment, a noise assessment, and execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). These steps are required by HUD for the purchase of the property, and will also assist with the future development of the site as the City anticipates seeking federal HUD funds to support the project once the RFP process has been completed and a qualified affordable housing developer chosen for the project.
Funding:
$21,270 Newton CPA Funds
$20,000 State (DHCD) Grant Funds
$41,270 Total Project Funding (Initial Phase)
Contacts:
Lara Kritzer, Director of Housing and Community Development
Planning and Development Department
Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02459
Barney Heath, Director
Planning and Development Department
Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02459
Funding Process:
February 12, 2021 - Proposal submitted for funding the Phase II Environmental Assessment. Pre-Proposal documents include:
- Cover Letter from Director Barney Heath
- Pre-Proposal Application
- West Newton Project Summary
- West Newton Armory Feasibility Study Final Report (Dec. 16, 2020), prepared by Affirmative Investments
March 9, 2021 - Presentation made at the CPC Public Hearing. CPC recommends full funding of the project at this time.
March 17, 2021 - CPC Recommendation sent to City Council for review.
April 26, 2021 - Project Presentation to Finance Committee. Finance Committee unanimously recommends project funding to City Council.
May 3, 2021 - City Council Order approves full funding of project.