Beverly Village for Living & the Arts Ribbon Cutting
On July 1st, Harborlight Homes, Beacon Communities, SV Design, and Keith Construction celebrated the completion of 91 new housing units, including 85 affordable units, at Beverly Village for Living & the Arts, a largely affordable housing development located at the historic former home of the locally beloved Briscoe School in Beverly, MA.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured a speaking program that included Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, Kim Driscoll; Dara Kovel, CEO, Beacon Communities; Andrew Leonard, Director of Real Estate Development, Harborlight Homes; Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill, MA Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, Ed Augustus, State Senator Joan Lovely, State Representative Hannah L.Bowen, and Mark Teden, Vice President of Multifamily Housing, MassHousing.
The adaptive reuse project transformed Briscoe School’s existing footprint into a multi-use, livable space with high-quality wraparound services that support seniors aging in place. Former classrooms were converted into 85 units of affordable housing for low-income seniors and the former locker rooms are now six live/work studios with an artist occupancy preference.
Residents enjoy features such as chalkboards and built-in cupboards in their apartments, original to the building. The former auditorium has been preserved and refreshed into a community performing arts space, maintaining one aspect of the building’s historic connection to its community. The former gymnasium now houses resident amenities including a community room, wellness and fitness spaces, library and reading room (featuring original library shelving), as well as a workshop. Outdoor amenity spaces include a terrace, patio, dog walking area, and victory gardens. Many current residents fondly recall going to school in the building which they now call home.
The existing three-story building, originally built in 1923, was completely rehabilitated while still preserving important historical features, including the windows and facade. It now touts numerous sustainable design features, including: solar panels to power all water heating and common area electricity, energy efficient lighting and heating/cooling systems, a new state of the art stormwater mitigation system, high-efficiency water and light fixtures, electric vehicle charging station, bike storage, and gardens with composting education.
The property is a short walk from the closest commuter rail station, and it’s accessible to the local bus system. It is also next door to the vibrant Beverly Council on Aging, and has walking paths to the city’s pedestrian network. The project will ensure the 100+ year-old building with its storied history remains a community asset not just through the creation of much-needed affordable housing, but also by bringing together community members of all ages through the arts.
Funding for the Beverly Village for Living and the Arts came together through a combination of federal and state LIHTC and historic tax credit equity, MassHousing tax exempt bond debt, as well as state and local subsidy from the MA Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, North Shore HOME Consortium and the City of Beverly. Additionally, the project is partially financed with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the first time a Massachusetts affordable housing deal has utilized ARPA funding.