GOSHEN — After six years of intensive planning, the $2.5 million Goshen senior housing project has broken ground and construction has begun on the affordable housing for elders over 62 years old.
“The foundations are in and they will soon be pouring the slabs,” Goshen Elder Housing Committee member Don Boisvert said, noting that the project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2018.
Hilltown Community Development Corporation’s housing director, Paul Lischetti, said that framing for the buildings should go up in the next two to three weeks.
Located in the center of town across from the Town Hall, the three separate Colonial-style buildings, designed to fit into the small-town New England environment, will have a total of 10 units situated around a circular common area.
Boisvert said that one building will be a duplex, and the other two will each hold four apartments
“The apartments are 720 square feet and each one has a sun room,” Boisvert said. “Each unit has a washer and dryer and the heat is propane radiant base board heating.”
All apartments will be mobility accessible, with one that is fully adapted for wheelchair use, and one that is adapted for hearing or vision loss.
Subsidized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, rent for one of the units will be one third of the renter’s income.
According to Lischetti, the project is being funded by grants from multiple state agencies, including the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the Housing Innovations Fund, and the Home Investment Partnership Program as well as the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and the Community Preservation Act.
Boisvert and Lischetti both noted that the location on Main Street is ideal as it provides seniors with easy access to the Town Hall, library, church and a convenience store.
“This will also really help to enhance the town center,” Lischetti said.
Those interested in renting an apartment must apply by Oct. 16. A lottery will be held to select renters on Nov. 15.
“As of two weeks ago, we had 20 applications,” Boisvert said.
For information on how to apply, call 296-4536 ext. 105, TTY call 711, or email CindyT@hilltownCDC.org.
CUMMINGTON — Fancy a fungi-finding adventure? You may want to join David Babik for a forest and mushroom walk along the Rivulet Trail at the Bryant Homestead on Sunday from 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Working in small groups, participants will collect specimens, then reconvene to examine and discuss their findings. Mushroom identification experts will be on hand to help identify various species and talk about their properties.
This event is free, though there is a suggested donation of $5 to $10.
The Bryant Homestead is located at 207 Bryant Road in Cummington.
PLAINFIELD —The Shaw Memorial Library in Plainfield will host an ice cream social and book sale on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 3:30-5 p.m.
Enjoy a dish of ice cream or create your favorite sundae, visit with neighbors and peruse the variety of good books that are looking for new homes.
The library is located at 312 Main St. For more information, call 634-5406 between the hours of 2-8 p.m. on Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
Ideas for this column on life in the Hilltowns can be sent to Fran Ryan at fryan.gazette@gmail.com.