Housing plan reduced to four stories, adds units; subsurface borings, parking and contamination cited as next steps

Mark Cole, a project representative for the Hudson redevelopment, told the Hudson Housing Authority that a redesign has reduced the primary residential buildings from five stories to four and increased first-phase unit counts, while subsurface borings, parking and contamination cleanup remain outstanding issues.

Cole said the change — dropping one story so the buildings can be constructed in wood rather than heavier structural systems — should reduce construction costs by “probably going to save over $1,000,000 just by dropping a floor,” while keeping similar unit mixes. He described the current plan as roughly 60–66 units across Building A and Building B and six townhouse units (including two five‑bedroom townhouses).

The reduction in height, Cole said, “blends with the community better and it also reduces the construction cost,” and allows the design to retain open courtyard space even as parts of the buildings are cantilevered to create covered drive-through access.

Why it matters: the redesign affects construction cost, unit count and neighborhood character, and state…