WinnCompanies Wraps Up Massachusetts Conversion
A historic former mill now provides both affordable and market-rate housing for seniors.
A partnership between WinnCompanies and Westmass Area Development Corp. has opened The Residences at Mill 8, a $43.2 million, industrial-to-residential conversion encompassing 95 age-restricted and partially affordable units in Ludlow, Mass.
Out of the total, 43 apartments cater to residents earning at or below 60 percent area median income and another 12 are reserved for individuals whose income is no more than 30 percent AMI, while the remaining 40 units are being rented at market rate. All apartments are restricted to seniors aged 55 and above.
The Residences at Mill 8 encompasses one- and two-bedroom floorplans ranging from 859 to 1,482 square feet, as well as 48,000 square feet of ground-floor, commercial space. Community amenities comprise a resident clubhouse, a gym, a game room and private work spaces, among others.
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What’s more, the Renaissance Medical Group operates a 5,000-square-foot Adult Day Health Center on the premises. The health-care provider arranges nurse visits, well-being programs, as well as transportation to a nearby senior center.
Located at 50 State St., the property is within walking distance of the Chicopee River and several eateries, as well as a couple of parks. The Ludlow Country Club is more than a mile away.
Funding the repositioning effort
The LIHTC program covered nearly half of the conversion’s development costs—approximately $20 million—according to prepared remarks by Congressman Richard E. Neal. Additional funding included $2.6 million in equity provided by Westmass and $2.5 million in permanent financing issued by Massachusetts Housing Partnership, according to prepared statements by MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities backed the project through its American Rescue Plan, HOME and Housing Stabilization funds. Other financial entities involved consisted of Bank of America, which issued a construction note, and MassHousing, which provided Affordable Housing Trust funds, as well as The Community Economic Development Assistance Corp. and BlueHub Capital.
Converting a historic mill into affordable senior housing
Dellbrook | JKS served as general contractor while The Architectural Team and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin provided multifamily design and civil engineering services, respectively. The Public Archaeology Laboratory contributed to the development through historic consultancy and Robinson + Cole served as legal counsel.
As the project’s development costs ballooned by nearly 40 percent, the construction stalled for two years until WinnCompanies secured funding in 2023. The conversion process involved a significant overhaul on a 220,000-square-foot, three-story 123-year-old mill, which is part of the historic Ludlow Manufacturing Co. complex owned by Westmass.
The restoration included floor and roof works and the installation of new aluminum screens at the belfry level, as well as the incorporation of a half-weight wall meant to enhance the open space areas of the one-bedroom units. Additionally, a tower clock received upgrades as part of the redevelopment efforts.
Through green building practices related to energy efficiency, water conservation and the usage of healthy materials, The Residences at Mill 8 attained Enterprise Green Communities certification.
Since 1981, WinnCompanies has converted 46 historic buildings across seven states into upward of 5,275 mixed-income units. In fact, Residences at Mill 8 is the second phase of a larger redevelopment effort. The first phase, consisting of 75 age-restricted units which are 88 percent affordable, debuted in 2017.
