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Engineering Work Begins on North Plain Road Housing Development

New Housing Will Target First Time Homebuyers
Posted on: September 16, 2021 - 5:18pm
Graphic of house

The Town of Great Barrington and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity are pleased to announce that the first phase of engineering for the planned Housatonic Homeownership project on North Plain Road will begin this month.

White Engineering, Inc. of Pittsfield is the Town’s engineer for the project. Beginning the week of Sept. 27 the engineering team will be on site to begin topographic and boundary surveys. Test pits will also be dug to evaluate the site’s stormwater and percolation characteristics.

The Great Barrington Affordable Housing Trust Fund purchased the 7.25 acre site in July of 2020, using Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds. Earlier this year, the Great Barrington Affordable Housing Trust Fund awarded the project development rights to Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, which will develop the site with up to 20 affordable homes.

Habitat will eventually own the site, with units being owned by income-qualified first time homebuyer households. “New affordable homes are desperately needed, so we are excited to kick off this work,” said Fred Clark, chair of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

“Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is excited to partner with the community and the Town of Great Barrington to achieve affordable homeownership opportunities for families right here in the Berkshires,” said Executive Director Carolyn Valli. “The pandemic has highlighted the need and connection between home and health, education, and economic stability. We applaud the people of Great Barrington for their foresight with this project.

Valli added that she will keep the neighborhood informed about progress and on-site activities by mail, email, and posts on social media to the Housatonic Neighbors Facebook group.

Assistant Town Manager Christopher Rembold said the engineering work kicking off this month is funded with CPA funds. The Town has applied to the state’s Mass Works program for additional funding to complete the engineering, design, and permitting tasks, with a construction start date anticipated in 2023. The overall project funding efforts are a collaboration between the town and Habitat for Humanity.

For general questions or to request periodic mail or email updates on this project, contact Carolyn Valli at (413) 442-3181 ext. 9.

For questions about the on-site engineering work, contact Brent White at (413) 441-8011 or email bwhite@whiteeng.com.