Forum speakers say persistence, flexibility and teamwork key to solving housing crisis
SUHOSKI
The former Montague Center School was renovated into apartments by Mark and Barbara Zaccheo, seen in 2017. Staff File Photo/Paul Franz
Greenfield Community Economic Development Director MJ Adams, pictured outside City Hall, says that while Greenfield doesn’t have any large municipally owned properties, it is spending a lot of time looking at smaller properties. The housing stock consists of many two-, three- and four-family homes. Staff File Photo/Dan Little
Modified: 5/7/2021 2:34:56 PM
Athol Town Manager Shaun Suhoski says working to solve the local housing crisis is never a one-person task it takes an entire community.
Forum speakers: Persistence, flexibility and teamwork key to solving housing crisis
SUHOSKI
The former Montague Center School was renovated into apartments by Mark and Barbara Zaccheo, pictured in a tenant’s apartments in 2017. Montague Town Planner Walter Ramsey refers to these apartments as one of the town’s housing success stories. Staff File Photo/Paul Franz
Greenfield Community Economic Development Director MJ Adams, pictured outside City Hall, says that while Greenfield doesn’t have any large municipally owned properties, it is spending a lot of time looking at smaller properties. The housing stock consists of many two-, three- and four-family homes. Staff File Photo/Dan Little
Athol town manager urges Bigelow/Riverbend project zoning relief
SUHOSKI Contributed photo
From the common playground area located on Park Avenue, the Riverbend School is visible on the left (rear), and the Ellen Bigelow School is on the right. Staff file photo
Published: 4/26/2021 2:42:44 PM
Modified: 4/26/2021 2:42:43 PM
ATHOL Town Manager Shaun Suhoski has sent a letter to the Athol’s Zoning Board of Appeals, urging its members to support “zoning relief to facilitate the renovation of the historic Ellen Bigelow and Riverbend former elementary schools.”
While rare for the town manager to urge that matters before independent municipal boards or committees be decided a certain way, Suhoski explained, whatever the ZBA decides will affect the future of property owned by the town.
Zoning hearing on re-use of schools continued
From the common playground area located on Park Avenue, the Riverbend School is visible on the left (rear), and the Ellen Bigelow School is on the right. Staff file photo
About three dozen people showed up for Wednesday’s public hearing before Athol’s Zoning Board of Appeals to discuss the re-use of the former Bigelow and Riverbend schools in Athol. Speaking to the attendees is architect Janos Mamayek. Staff photo/Greg Vine
Kelly Killeen, engineer for the proposal to transform the former Bigelow and Riverbend schools into intergenerational mixed-income housing, details the plan at the public hearing held Wednesday, April 7, by Athol s Zoning Board of Appeals. Staff photo/Greg Vine