An affordable housing site with 55 units is taking shape in Portland
COURTESY / CWS ARCHITECTS
58 Boyd St. was a partnership between the Portland Housing Authority, Avesta and Evernorth.
Maine's housing shortage will be at least partly addressed by a housing development now under construction in Portland.
58 Boyd St., as the site will be known, will be six stories high and have 55 housing units, priced for low- and moderate-income families. It will be managed by the Portland Housing Authority and is being developed by the Portland Housing Development Corp.
Wright-Ryan Construction is managing the project, working from plans by CWS Architects. Both are based in Portland.
Of the $11.2 million cost, Bangor Savings Bank is the largest private lender, putting up $2.9 million. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston provided a subsidy of $750,000 and other funding comes from subsidies, grants and the housing authority's own funds.
Need for housing
In its original presentation to neighbors in August 2017, the Portland Housing Authority laid out some sobering numbers when outlining the region's shortage of public housing and affordable housing.
The authority owns and manages more than 1,000 units of affordable housing. It has 6,500 residents. Almost all of its current housing stock, 98%, is more than 45 years old. As the authority said in its presentation, "all properties are close to or at the end of their useful life."
In 2012, the authority estimated it would need to invest $80 million over 25 years just to insure long-term viability of the housing — without adding any additional units. With a decline in government funding for housing programs, the authority is having to be more creative about finding funding.
Enter 58 Boyd St.
The building now underway, 58 Boyd St. (which faces Franklin Street), will include 25 efficiency apartments, five 1-bedroom units, 16 2-bedroom units and nine 3-bedroom units.
It will also have a different feel from "traditional" public housing, with built-in community spaces. There will be small and large meeting rooms, office space, laundry facilities, a trash-recycling area and bike parking. There will also be a tele-medicine room.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments