THE CHALLENGE Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this 19th-century textile mill had languished since the 1980s, a time when many industries were moving their factories south. Identified as a Priority Development Site, its conversion to living and retail space would have to be undertaken with careful attention to preservation criteria.
THE ODG APPROACH To define the project, O’Connell Development Group — partnering with EA Fish Development and real estate attorney Gerard F. Doherty to develop the residential component — focused on the need to provide contemporary affordable senior housing while retaining the property’s historic character. The resulting designfeatures 75 versatile open-space residences located above the mill’s 20,000 square feet of ground floor commercial/retail space. The revitalization was realized with funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency as well as federal and state low-income housing and historic tax credit investors
RESULTS Located on the bank of the Mumford River, the classic brick Linwood Mill’s upper three stories were successfully converted into comfortable attractive housing units for a community of active adults (age 55 or better). Property amenities include a library, laundry center, landscaped grounds, and a resident services program.
