sergeant house / way finders
Northampton, MA
Working with Valley Community Development (Valley CDC) and Way Finders, Western Builders has renovated and expanded the Sergeant House in Northampton, Massachusetts. This is an affordable housing initiative funded through tax credits, with support by Northampton’s city government and the State Department of Housing and Community Development.
This project is a major renovation of the current property. Valley CDC has owned the Sergeant House (circa 1820) since 1990, operating it as a traditional 15-room Single Room Occupancy with 1 common kitchen and 4 common bathrooms. Prior to that, the building served as a family homeless shelter & lodging house. With the complete renovation and expansion of the building, the project doubled the size of the Sergeant House and replaces the 15 SRO units with 31 studio units, each with its own bathroom ad kitchen. The renovation also remedied structural defects and adds accessibility and energy efficiency. A new elevator provides access to the three levels of living space, while the first floor includes resident amenities such as a lounge, eating area, laundry room, public bathroom, on-site property management, and social services office. Outdoor features include a side porch, deck, expanded parking area, bike shelter, and dumpster enclosure.
Building safe, comfortable, and affordable housing is a fundamental component of Valley CDC’s overall mission. This is the second of three affordable housing projects Western Builders has worked on with Valley CDC and Way Finders; the others being LIVE 155 and Village Hill. All units are affordable, right in the heart of the booming well-loved community of Northampton, and conveniently located on the bus line.
“I’m most excited because people will get better housing and there will be more folks who can afford to live in Northampton,” said Joanne Campbell, executive director of Valley CDC in a Gazette article in July of 2018.
Western Builders is proud to be part of these affordable housing developments, as many individuals and families will benefit from having a safe place to call home. 25% of the Sergeant House’s new units are set aside for people coming out of homelessness.
