HOLYOKE, MASS. — WinnDevelopment has broken ground on a $55.3 million affordable seniors housing project in the western Massachusetts city of Holyoke. The project will convert a historic mill complex into 88 affordable apartment homes for seniors ages 55 and older. The redevelopment of the Appleton Mill property in downtown Holyoke will create new loft-style apartments in three interconnected, 111-year-old industrial buildings that were once home to the Farr Alpaca Co. and have been vacant for decades. In addition, WinnDevelopment will construct a new community building and connect it to the residential space via a closed skybridge spanning nearby railroad tracks. All 88 apartments will be reserved for low- and moderate-income seniors, with 12 units reserved for households earning below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI), 63 for those below 60 percent of AMI, and 13 for households below 80 percent of AMI. Delivery is slated for spring 2025.
Massachusetts
WINDSOR, MASS. — MassHousing has provided $7.5 million in financing for Prospect Estates, a 25-unit multifamily property located in the western Massachusetts community of Windsor. The borrower, Affordable Housing & Services Collaborative, will use the proceeds to acquire and renovate the property. NEI General Contracting will handle renovations, which will include upgrades to kitchens and bathrooms, as well as building systems and exterior components. The development team will also preserve historic elements of the original structures, such as windows and wood flooring, and add a management office.
MARLBOROUGH, MASS. — Locally based general contractor and construction management firm W.T. Rich has broken ground on a 17,000-square-foot academic building in the western Boston suburb of Marlborough. Designed by Finegold Alexander Architects, the project is a build-to-suit for Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School and will house classroom and lab space. A completion date was not disclosed.
BOSTON — Cottonwood Group, a Los Angeles-based private equity real estate firm, has provided $240 million loan for the refinancing of the St. Regis Residences, a luxury multifamily tower in Boston’s Seaport District. Built in 2022, the 22-story waterfront building houses 114 residences with private balconies and amenities such as a pool, spa, fitness center, lounge, concierge services and an onsite restaurant. The borrower was Boston-based Cronin Development.
MEDWAY, MASS. — Toll Brothers has completed Hathon, a 190-unit apartment complex in Medway, located southwest of Boston. Designed by Boston-based Cube3 Architects with interiors by Chicago-based Mary Cook Associates, Hathon offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units that are furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and individual washers and dryers. Select units offer private balconies/patios. Amenities include a pool, game room, fitness center, playground, catering kitchen, coworking lounge and a rooftop deck. Rents start at $2,450 per month for a one-bedroom apartment.
SANDWICH, MASS. — MassHousing has provided $6.2 million in financing for Shawme Heights Apartments, a 44-unit affordable seniors housing complex located in the Cape Cod town of Sandwich. The borrower, nonprofit owner-operator Sandwich Senior Housing Corp., will use the proceeds to refinance existing debt and fund capital improvements. Specific upgrades will target unit interiors, building exteriors, elevators, common areas and building systems like security, backup electricity and medical alert.
BOSTON — Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors has brokered the sale of a 53-bed skilled nursing facility located just south of downtown Boston. The building was originally constructed in 1960, spans over 18,000 square feet and features a variety of unit configurations. The buyer was an undisclosed family office that intends to convert the property into traditional multifamily housing. Details on the seller and sales price were not disclosed. Kyle Hallion and Michael Segal led the Blueprint team on the transaction.
MARLBOROUGH, MASS. — Atlanta-based developer Wood Partners has broken ground on Alta French Hill, a 276-unit apartment complex that will be located in the western Boston suburb of Marlborough. Units will come in one, two- and three-bedroom floor plans and will be furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, wood-style flooring and individual washers and dryers. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center, dog park, resident lounge and outdoor grilling and dining areas. Alta French Hill will also house 10,000 square feet of retail space. Preleasing will begin in 2024, with the first move-ins scheduled to begin in February 2025.
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — Norges Bank Investment Management has signed an agreement to acquire a 45 percent interest in two life sciences properties in Cambridge’s Kendall Square neighborhood, just across the Charles River from Boston. BXP (NYSE: BXP) was the seller. The transaction includes 290 Binney Street, a 16-story, 570,000-square-foot property currently under construction. It is fully preleased to AstraZeneca, which expects to take occupancy in April 2026. The other property is 300 Binney Street, a six-story facility undergoing redevelopment. The Broad Institute has preleased the 240,000-square-foot building and plans to take occupancy in January 2025. Norges acquired the interest for an initial payment of $212.9 million and has committed to a total project cost of $746.4 million. Upon completion, the total value of the two buildings is projected to be $1.6 billion. The assets are unencumbered by debt, and no financing was involved in the transaction. BXP will retain the remaining 55 percent interest in the assets and will manage the properties on behalf of the partnership. Cambridge is among the largest hub of life sciences properties in the United States. The home of both Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the city hosts a slew of major …
GARDNER, MASS. — JLL has brokered the $9.6 million sale-leaseback of a 113,000-square-foot industrial building in Gardner, located about 65 miles northwest of Boston. Built in 1959 and expanded in 2004, the building features six dock doors and a clear height of 30 feet. Lenny Pierce and David Coffman of JLL represented the tenant, food packaging company Garlock Flexibles, which will retain occupancy on a long-term basis, in the transaction. The buyer was Philadelphia-based Valley Forge Private Equity.