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The Forge Village landscape will be changing over the next three to five years, but the historic character of the Town Farm and its original purpose will remain.
“A fabulous group of 12,” according to Ellen Harde, chair of the 35 Town Farm Road Task Force, reached a milestone recently when members appeared before the Select Board with a recommendation to award the contract to save the integrity of the historic house at 35 Town Farm Road.
Select Board members voted unanimously on Jan. 26, 2021 to accept the task force’s recommendation.
Task Force members gelled
The task force was enticed by a unifying desire to maintain the appearance of the historic building and to preserve the significant role it has played in Westford’s social history. Harde, a town historian, said that the task force focused its efforts with two goals — that the building’s exterior facing the street, and historic architectural elements of the interior be preserved – with an historic preservation restriction (between the developer and the town,) and that the new units be truly affordable for the town’s seniors, some of whom are struggling with rising property taxes and fixed incomes.
Harde said the task force members have worked closely with Jennifer Claro, director of the Cameron Senior Center.
“I’m very comfortable with the decision that’s being recommended by the Town Farm Task Force,” said Claro.
Town Farm history
The Town Farm was built in 1837 and in 1901 an extension was added, according to a timeline posted on the town’s website. In 1959, the home – once a shelter for those unable to provide for themselves — was closed. It was originally situated on part of the Read Farm, which was comprised of 170 acres, at one time. The George Rogers Fire Station, the Norman E. Day School, and the Lloyd Blanchard Middle School are all located on this original parcel. [At the Special Town Meeting in 1971, about 5.9 acres of land, that had been used by the Town Infirmary, was transferred to the Westford Fire Department. At the March 6, 1971 Annual Town Meeting, 29,400 square feet of this land was transferred from the town generally, to the Westford School Department]. The historic Town Farm building is situated on these 29,400 square feet of land and in November 2019, the Town Farm Road Task Force recommended that this parcel be expanded by one additional acre in order to accommodate the new project.
Plans for developmentÂ
The proposed project: historic building and property, will consist of an adaptive re-use of an historic building and a newly constructed building into a 35-unit mixed income senior (62+) rental housing development. It would consist of six studios and 29 one-bedroom units. Five units would be designated market rate, while the remaining units would be designated as affordable. The newly constructed building will house the apartment units while the historic structures will provide above-market supportive housing and common spaces, according to the proposal response documentation submitted by CHOICE/SCG to the town of Westford. This high level proposal was submitted in response to the town’s recent Request for Proposal.
CHOICE wins bid
CHOICE, a non profit organization incorporated 20 years ago by David Hedison, the long-term executive director of the Chelmsford Housing Authority, won the bid for the 1.675-acre property at 35 Town Farm Road. The land and the buildings will be purchased for $580,000. SCG Development of Peabody, and ICON Architecture of Boston will work with CHOICE.
“We’ve worked very closely with CHOICE…We’re just very pleased. Very excited,” Claro said.
Hedison said he will work with the project’s stakeholders to ensure their needs are met. They include among others: Council on Aging, Westford Housing Authority, Westford Food Pantry, Westford Historical Society, Historical Commission, Affordable Housing Committee, and the Westford Fire Department.
Plan includes space for food pantry
The project will create a space for the Westford Food Pantry. The developer said he plans to work with the Food Pantry organization to create a space that is suitable for the organizers’ needs. Through CHOICE, Hedison has also agreed to work with the Westford Historical Society to donate items for their collection, and to provide a permanent easement to the Westford Fire Department for access to the rear parking lot, all according to the response.
Changing landscape
The fire training facility, which is currently located on Fire Department land but will become Town Farm premises, will be razed to make way for the newly created affordable housing project that will change the neighborhood landscape. This would create the opportunity for a new fire training facility, with like capabilities, to be constructed at a different town-owned parcel. According to a report filed in the Select Board’s Jan. 26 packet, this new fire training facility is estimated to cost $817,000. Details about the new fire training facility are in the process of being worked.
Funding
The lion’s share of the $18 million dollar affordable housing project’s costs will be sourced by state and federal housing grant money sought by CHOICE. CHOICE will also be asking for $1.75 million in Community Preservation funds. The creation of affordable housing and historical preservation are permissible uses of Community Preservation funds, along with open space and recreational space.
Select Board member Scott Hazelton, a long-time member of the Affordable Housing Committee, moved to award the project to CHOICE.
“This one is truly affordable,” he said.
UPDATE – This story was revised on Feb. 1 to provide a deeper understanding of the Town Farm building to the history of Westford.
35 Town Farm Road Task Force Members Ellen Harde and Roberta McGuire contributed significantly to this story.
