Projects
Merrimack Corridor Development Project
OVERVIEW
The Merrimack Corridor Development project (“the Project”) is a 118-unit affordable housing project located on two vacant sites in the Acre neighborhood of Lowell. Ideally situated within a 0.5-mile walk of downtown Lowell and several neighborhood amenities, the Project will provide much-needed mixed-income affordable housing, open space, and public realm improvements. This high impact project responds to several priorities shared by the Commonwealth and the City of Lowell. All units will be affordable to households earning 30% to 80% AMI, as summarized below:
As summarized in the table below, the Project includes a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units. The two-bedroom and three-bedroom units consist of approximately 2/3 of the total number of units, a ratio that is strongly preferred by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), for its accommodation of larger family sizes.
BUILDING DETAILS
| 1-BR Units | 2-BR Units | 3-BR Units | Total Units | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur St. | 25 | 50 | 15 | 90 |
| Cabot St. | 17 | 11 | 0 | 28 |
| Total Units | 42 | 61 | 15 | 118 |
| Percentage | 36% | 52% | 13% |
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION APPROACH
The Project’s design is grounded architecturally within the neighborhood’s context and fills a gap in Lowell’s urban fabric along Merrimack Street. The two new buildings will activate the streetscape, filling the current visual void with preserved open space, an improved streetscape, and new residential uses. For residents, the buildings will offer healthy homes with fantastic connectivity into downtown Lowell, and easy access to public transit.
The Cabot building will comprise of 28 residential units and neighborhood community space. Holding the corner of Merrimack and Cabot Streets, the angled corner highlights the community room in this prime space. Responding to context, the proposed building’s four-story volume transitions the height between the eight story City View Towers (Archambault Towers) and the smaller scaled bay-fronted clapboard mixed use buildings adjacent and across the street. The building’s residential use is expressed by a canopied residential entry on Merrimack Street, proportioned to match the scale of the more residential neighborhood nearby.
The Decatur building, comprising 90 residential units in a six-story structure, abuts public ways on three sides. The primary residential entry will front onto Merrimack Street, activating the streetscape through tall storefront fenestration and masonry piers at the ground level, drawing reference to the historic buildings of downtown.
SCHEDULE
We are committed to completing the Project, pending EOHLC funding being awarded in the Winter 2025 mini-round, on the following expedited schedule:
- October 2025: EOHLC Funding Mini-Round Submission
- February 2026: Funding Awarded
- August 2026: Construction Commencement
- June 2027: Construction 50% Complete
- December 2027: Pre-Leasing Begins
- April 2028: Construction Completion and First Certificate of Occupancy
- July 2028: Final Certificate of Occupancy
- October 2028: Sustained Occupancy
- November 2028: Permanent Loan Closing