NEWBURYPORT — Plans to convert the former Brown School to senior affordable housing took what Mayor Sean Reardon called “a significant first step” when the Affordable Housing Trust recently voted 5-0 to allocate $450,000 to help make the project a reality.
Reardon’s comments came during the City Council’s meeting Monday night. He also said the trust’s vote Jan. 22 was a “big hurdle” to clear.
A day later, Planning Director Andy Port said the money could be used “for anything to make the project feasible.”
“This could help to make the financing work, renovate the building or to subsidize public funding,” he said. “It could also be used to help make it more deeply affordable to residents.”
Port thanked the Affordable Housing Trust for the unanimous vote to divert money from its coffers. The trust manages money approved by the Community Preservation Committee and the City Council to develop affordable housing.
“This also allows the City Council in the coming days to know that one of the (biggest) parameters has been satisfied already,” he said. “That will allow them to focus on any questions they may have.”
In November, Reardon chose Zeta InSite to convert the former Milk Street school to senior affordable housing. In December, the Boston-based company revealed a plan to build 29 apartments, all of which would be considered affordable by state metrics.
Zeta InSite initially planned to build 29 units but only eight of those would have been considered affordable for households at 80% of the area median income of $127,306. The remaining 21 units would have been offered for market rate.
That plan caused a number of trust members, including Andrew Shapiro and co-Chair Madeline Nash, to speak out against it late last year.
Members also said they preferred the YWCA Greater Newburyport’s plan to construct 43 affordable senior housing units.
But Zeta InSite’s decision to revise its proposal based on public and behind-the-scenes feedback made the trust’s vote much easier, according to trust co-Chair Susanne Cameron.
“This is exactly what we wanted the outcome for the Brown School to be,” she said. “According to the last two housing production plans, that’s what we need. (Residents) are getting older and costs are going up. So we’re displacing our seniors.”
Cameron is married to City Council President Ed Cameron. Reardon is also a member of the trust but did not vote.
For Zeta InSite’s plan to move forward, the building would first need to be declared surplus, then sold to the company for $450,000. The property’s zoning would also have to be amended to bump up the current 20-unit cap to 29.
Ward 1 City Councilor Sharif Zeid and at-large Councilor Heather Shand have sponsored two orders that would accomplish both goals.
Under the surplus disposition order, half of the sale’s proceeds ($225,000) would be used to improve the building’s public park and green space. The property’s playground would then be merged with that area to create a park named after the school’s namesake, George W. Brown.
The remaining $225,000 would be set aside for the mayor’s plan to build a recreation center at 59 Low St.
The Recreation and Youth Services Department used to be based at the Brown School. But it has been looking for a new home ever since the building closed in late 2021.
In 2022, the city purchased the former National Guard building at 59 Low St. for $220,000 in free cash with the idea of moving Newburyport Youth Services there.
Early last year, Reardon presented a plan seeking to spend $6.5 million to $7.7 million to build a recreation center at the Low Street address. It called for an outdoor basketball court, modular gymnasium, conference room and snack bar.
The $225,000 from the Brown School surplus would be used to build the gym.
The City Council’s Planning and Development subcommittee is expected to discuss the surplus disposition order at City Hall on Feb. 4 at 6 p.m.
Any transfer of Affordable Housing Trust money would be done in concert with the City Council approving the surplus disposition, as well as new zoning, Port said.
“There are multiple layers of discussion going on about this project and its parameters,” he said. “So all of that will have to run in parallel with the council over the next few weeks and months.”
Cameron agreed, adding that the trust will continue to make itself available to the City Council and other boards throughout the approval process.
“We’d hate to see the plan stumble,” she said.
Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.