Conversion of downtown Houlton building into apartments would help ease housing crunch
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HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton City Council is supporting a developer find funding to renovate component of a downtown professional constructing into 10 residences.
The town will file an software for a just about $500,000 state Group Growth Block Grant on behalf of Shiretown Homes LLC this 7 days based on the council’s unanimous vote in favor of the motion Monday, Could 16.
The council’s choice comes immediately after a tragic three-tale multi-device condominium making fire on Mechanic Road in March killed a 4-calendar year-previous boy and remaining 38 people today homeless, creating an already critical require for very affordable housing in Houlton even worse.
Houlton Community Progress Director Nancy Ketch claimed there is a remarkable need for additional housing and that the proposed undertaking would convert existing professional place to 10 residential units, with a sprinkler program, power-effective updates and parking space paving.
The new residences will be developed on the 2nd ground of the Vital Financial institution creating at the corner of Current market Sq. and Drinking water Avenue.
To fulfill CDBG pointers, 51 %, or six of the units, would be selected for reduced-to-moderate income individual people today or families, Ketch mentioned.
Developer John Harvell pressured this is not condition-subsidized housing. The vote in favor of implementing for the grant dollars was held immediately after a community hearing.
“I am extremely substantially in favor of this project. I consider it is an fantastic repurpose of this constructing. It addresses economical housing here in the city of Houlton, and I believe it’s heading to be an remarkable boon to the downtown location,” Councilor Sue Tortello said throughout the community listening to Monday night.
If the undertaking is funded, the existing second-ground enterprise tenants will go to other downtown spots.
Northern Lighthouse on the to start with flooring is going out of the building and Community Health and Counseling Products and services, at the moment on the 2nd ground, will go into that area, Harvell mentioned. This grant application is through the CDBG Housing Support Application. Although Houlton has been awarded other CDBG grants, this is the initial Housing Aid System application the town has made, Ketch reported.
The KeyBank constructing at 41 Market Sq. is for business use on the 1st and second ground and the third is residential. If the challenge proceeds, the 2nd ground would become completely residential, necessitating a new sprinkler program on each the 2nd and 3rd floors.
In March, the town submitted a letter of intent to the condition relating to the funding and was then invited to apply. Ketch said this somewhat narrows the level of competition for the grant money. This yr, the Housing Aid Plan has $20 million that will be dispersed throughout the state.
“The reality that we ended up invited to apply is a quite fantastic indicator,” Ketch stated. “It’s nonetheless no guarantee.”
The grant apps will be judged on a place program — neighborhood affect (40 factors), enhancement method (40 factors), resident help ( 20 points) — and best scoring applicants will then be invited to take part in the project enhancement period. Even now, this does not promise funding. Awards will be declared at the close of the progress section.
Ketch explained the city will very likely listen to about the position of its application in late June.
“Because there is these kinds of a will need, we are excited to be included in the course of action,” Ketch explained on Tuesday. “This venture will be fantastic for the group.”
Councilors Mark Horvath and James Peters had been absent.
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