In New Bedford, Massachusetts, a former fire station that had fallen into disrepair is being converted into housing.
The historic property at County and Hillman Streets will be turned into eight homes, five of which will be reserved as affordable units.
Here's what to know
Redevelopment of the former station involves the Waterfront Historic Area League, better known as WHALE, a nonprofit that has spent more than 60 years preserving notable properties in New Bedford. According to WBSM, the former fire station is being redeveloped in partnership with CMK Development Partners and other financial partners.
Three of the apartments will be rented at market rate, and the other five will be affordable.
Erin Miranda, WHALE's executive director, said the property was in rough condition when she arrived.
"This project was at a crossroad when I came to WHALE," she explained. "The building was in deplorable shape, but we have partnered with CMK Development Partners, and they have done a tremendous job. The state has also helped with Historic Tax Credits, so the historic firehouse doors and other items have been restored. It's going to be remarkable."
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More background
Miranda, a SouthCoast native who grew up in Mattapoisett, traces her interest in older buildings to her grandmother's farmhouse. Her interest grew further after former WHALE executive director Tony Souza visited one of her preservation classes at Roger Williams University.
After college, Souza helped Miranda get involved with WHALE through a volunteer opportunity and later helped her move into full-time statewide preservation work. She then returned to lead the New Bedford nonprofit.
Rather than let historic structures continue to deteriorate, WHALE has been working in New Bedford neighborhoods to restore landmark properties for housing and other uses. In the case of the firehouse, that means converting a once-rundown municipal building into mixed-income housing while preserving the historic features that make it recognizable.
What's being done?
To complement the firehouse project, WHALE is offering public programming for people restoring older homes of their own. The nonprofit has scheduled two free November events at the visitor center auditorium in Whaling National Historical Park on William Street, and both begin at 5:30 p.m.
The Nov. 4 event will feature Realtor Diane Henry discussing her historic home restoration journey and sharing advice. On Nov. 18, Dennis Berrios is scheduled to talk about restoring a New Bedford home.
"We've called this our 'Living in an Old House Dream Series,'" Miranda said. "The whole point was to get owners of old and historic homes to share their experience. We're really trying to connect other property owners with people who have faced similar challenges."
A third event, the Holiday House Tour, is set for Dec. 13 from noon to 4 p.m. The self-guided walking tour will let visitors see seven historic New Bedford homes decorated for the holidays, with tickets priced at $35 through waterfrontleague.org.
"WHALE has proven that preservation isn't only about saving the past," Miranda noted. "It's about retaining places with a storied connection to the past, while providing for current and future community needs."
Where can I learn more?
Across Massachusetts, other housing efforts are also focusing on older buildings, public funding, and local policy.
• In downtown Boston, 110 all-electric apartments are planned inside a historic office building.
• In Cambridge, 162 affordable units moved closer as Massachusetts directed $18.2 million to two projects.
• Across Massachusetts, 403 local projects shared $330 million as officials chased 27,000 new homes.
• In Pittsfield, an affordable manufactured home project nearly sold out months after opening.
• On Nantucket, a transfer fee sought for affordable housing funding was blocked again.
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