Wellington Community rehabilitation
Worcester, MA – WinnCompanies has started construction on an $11.2 million rehabilitation of the historic Wellington Community, a 180-unit community for elderly and low-income residents in Worcester. The project will dramatically upgrade the interior and exterior of 11 buildings, 10 of which are historic, and will extend its affordability provisions for 30 years.
Keith Construction will serve as the general contractor and The Architectural Team as the project architect. WinnDevelopment will oversee the project, and WinnResidential will continue management responsibilities for Wellington Community throughout the process.
Improvements to the community’s residential buildings will include restoration of masonry exteriors, replacement of roofs, installation of historically sensitive doors and windows, updated handicap accessibility accommodations, life-safety improvements, and energy efficiency changes to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Residential apartments will undergo mechanical system upgrades and the installation of new cabinetry, appliances, and fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms. Common amenity space and laundry rooms also will be overhauled.
The community features one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments. Of the 180 units, 178 are affordable to households making at or below 60% of the area median income (AMI), which for Worcester is $51,420 for a family of four. Two of the units are for households earning at or below 80% of AMI ($68,000 for a family of four).
Residential buildings will be renovated one at a time in phases during the occupied rehab. Residents will be given temporary facilities during the day and return to their apartments in the late afternoon.
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The $11.2 million rehabilitation and affordability extension is the result of a $33 million recapitalization of the property completed Dec. 29, 2017. MassHousing provided $16.4 million in tax-exempt permanent financing, which generated $9.1 million in equity for the project through federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. Other funding sources include $2.4 million federal historic tax credit financing; $1.5 million from an allocation of state historic funds.
