Former Ellen Bigelow and Riverbend Schools to be Redeveloped for Housing
On November 5, 2019, following a formal Request for Proposal process, the Board of Selectmen chose NewVue Communities and Icon Architecture as the Town's developer / partner to rehabilitate the former Ellen Bigelow and Riverbend school campus into 53-units of housing affordable to a range of income.
This $20M-plus effort will include historically sensitive renovations of the existing buildings and construction of a new "connecting" structure which will also provide inter-generational housing opportunities. The unit mix includes workforce, to moderate, to low-income units but the development will have on-site propfessional property management. Plans call for expanding the green space, relocating playground equipment and creating community garden beds.
The next step is to form a development agreement between the Town and NewVue that will set forth the roles and responsibilties of the parties as well as a projected timeline. Funding of this type can take 12 to 36 months to fully materialize, however, this developer and this particular site are prime candidates to achieve an amazing transformation that will provide needed housing options as well as property tax revenue to the community. The project will include community neighborhood input and must go through all appropriate permitting at the local board level.
Follow the link to see the NewVue / icon proposal, the Town's RFP and the initial disposition recommendations from 2016 for the four former elementary school buildings.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. AspireAthol!
- Shaun A. Suhoski, Town Manager
