WESTFORD — The following release was submitted by Ellen Harde, President of The Drew Farmhouse, Inc for publication and distribution.
At an Oct. 16 Special Town Meeting, voters approved a request to appropriate money that had previously been earmarked for affordable housing and historic preservation projects.
The money is going to the non-profit charitable organization The Drew Farmhouse Inc. which last month became the owner of 70 Boston Road, the former Coldwell-Banker Real Estate office.
Step one in the transformation of the office building into five apartments began in earnest on December 5th when more than a dozen volunteers from the Habitat for Humanity Tuesday Work Crew arrived at 70 Boston Road.
An hour later, eight students from YouthBuild in Lowell arrived with their instructor.
Within three-and-a-half hours, the two crews had torn out all forty real estate agent cubicles. The demolition material was carefully separated for disposal: wood in one pile, wallboard in another, and metal in a third. A ton-and-a-half of carpeting was taken up and set aside in another area.
On Dec. 7, workers from Northeast Material Handling in Lowell put each pile in dumpsters and took everything away.
The building is now ready for the carpenters, plumbers, and electricians to come in after the holidays.
When the renovation is complete in late 2024, the five occupants who are chosen to live in The Drew Farmhouse will pay rents that are “workforce affordable” following standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In 2024, Habitat for Humanity will begin their work to transform the first floor of the barn into a three-bedroom Habitat home.
In keeping with the historic preservation goal of the renovation, the exterior of the farmhouse and the barn will always look the same as they do now.
Disclaimer: Submitted content does not necessarily represent the opinions or views of WestfordCAT, its employees, its volunteers, its board members, its donors, its members or its sponsors.
WestfordCAT News shares newsletters and press releases and submissions at the discretion of the editor. Shared newsletters or press releases may be submitted by town departments, elected officials, student organizations, community organizations, local non-profit organizations or any other organization, entity or individual that feels its content would be of public benefit.
