On the morning
of December 12, HCA was pleased to celebrate the completion
of its Capitol Square Apartments building, 258 Massachusetts Avenue, the first
of three buildings on the property that will hold 32 affordable units upon
completion this winter. 100 HCA supporters came out to celebrate and listen to
speakers including Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, Cedric Kam from U.S.
Department of Housing & Urban Development, Massachusetts Department of Housing
& Community Development’s Undersecretary of Housing Aaron Gornstein, Peter
Sargent from Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation, Gregory Bowe from
Cambridge Savings Bank, Tony Fracasso from MassDevelopment and Eastern Bank’s
President, Robert Rivers. Cambridge
Savings Bank sponsored the morning’s festivities, and the event concluded with
the guests touring the completed units.
Mark Lesses,
HCA’s Vice President and Vice President of Coldwell Banker Residential
Brokerage, started the morning off by welcoming the crowd and discussing the
significance of the units, “Capitol Square Apartments is HCA’s largest project
yet and the first Arlington property to receive low-income housing tax credits
from Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development.”
Units will be affordable in perpetuity serving low-income households at
or below 60% of area median income. The buildings offer a mix of apartment
sizes: 6 studio units, 17 one-bedroom units and 9 two-bedroom units with 32
units overall.
Bus service is
available at the front door and many retail and other services are within
walking distance. “With a bus stop right out front,” stated
Undersecretary Gornstein, “This is the true meaning of transit-oriented
development!”
In an elegant
benediction over the building, Pastor Christine Elliott of Calvary Church gave
thanks, “…for the dream which made this day possible and the patience and
tenacity which have brought it to life; for the tireless work and dedication,
day in and day out, of HCA staff and Board members; for the partnership and teamwork
of public and private sectors and for all who have advocated and contributed
money, time and heart; for the support of this community and a town that cares
for all persons; for the workers who have given their strength and skill to
this project…”
