The Lowell Community Preservation Committee determined eligibility for nine applications seeking roughly $7.74 million in community preservation funding and advanced a tenth application conditionally during an eligibility-only meeting.

Chairman Bakke opened the session by emphasizing the scope of the meeting: “Tonight, all we are determining is eligibility. So we are not evaluating the merits of the applications,” and the committee then handled a series of initial eligibility votes rather than full application hearings.

Why it matters: Community preservation funds in Lowell are intended to support historic preservation, affordable housing and open-space/ recreation projects. By finding projects eligible, the committee allows applicants to proceed to full application review and possible funding recommendations at later meetings.

The committee moved a set of eligibility determinations for several historic-preservation and housing-conversion projects, a municipal parks/skate-park plan, and other preservation work. Most motions passed by roll-call votes with all voting members present recorded as “yes”; one large request from the city planning department drew an abstention from Vice Chair Baez Rose.

Key eligible projects

- 246.1 Market St., Novus Properties LLC — $779,121 requested to convert the former turbine/mill building to 27 market-rate housing units. Applicant representative Kainen said the funds would be used for exterior restorations including windows and masonry. The motion to find the project eligible passed on roll call.

- 93 Mammoth Rd. (historic municipal fire building), applicant George Scaff — $125,000 requested to convert the building into three apartments. Scaff indicated funds would cover exterior work including windows, roof and pointing; he supplied documentation that the local historic board had agreed the building is historically significant. The committee approved eligibility.

- 21–25 Shattuck St., Victorian Park (Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association) — $31,000 requested for bench replacement and park rehabilitation. Robert Casey, secretary of the Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association, and Sandra Libby of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) described DCR’s technical support for the work. The committee approved eligibility.

- 8–10 Kirk St., St. Anne’s Episcopal Church — $401,125 requested for rehabilitation of the historic church building. Jeff Lambert, treasurer of St. Anne’s, told the committee the church seeks to continue preservation progress; the committee approved eligibility.

- 225 Middlesex St., Boyden turbine (Learn to Lead Foundation of Lowell Inc.) — $200,000 requested to restore and relocate a Boyden steam turbine discovered after the applicant took ownership of the building. Robert Gignac of Lowell Community Charter Public School said the group is obtaining original documentation and plans to present it to the local historic board. The committee approved eligibility on the condition that the local historic board issue a finding of local significance; Gignac said, “we will have the original papers in a week from today,” and that the applicant will appear before the historic board on Nov. 10.

- All Wheels Welcome (City of Lowell planning department) — $3,900,000 requested to upgrade three city skate parks and expand wheeled-recreation access. A planning department staff member said the request is structured so portions could be funded separately if needed. The committee found the proposal eligible; Vice Chair Baez Rose recorded an abstention on the roll call.

- 169.2 Bridge St., Mass Mills boiler building (Mullen Management Company) — $803,522.25 requested to convert the boiler building into 79 mixed-income housing units (project described as roughly 80% market-rate, 20% affordable). John Clark of Mullen Management said the team focused this year on the boiler building and described structural-engineering work informing that decision. The committee approved eligibility.

- 463 Moody St., North Canal redevelopment (Coalition for a Better Acre) — $1,200,000 requested for phase 1 to create 100 senior, income-restricted units. Bridal Conley, real-estate project manager for Coalition for a Better Acre, presented the request and the committee approved eligibility.

- 408 Suffolk St., Suffolk Place LLC — $300,000 requested to construct 33 affordable housing units; the applicant was not present. The committee approved the eligibility determination; members noted the project has been considered in prior funding rounds.

Votes at a glance

- 246.1 Market St. (Novus Properties LLC): $779,121 — Eligible (roll call: Chairman Bakke — yes; Vice Chair Baez Rose — yes; Member DeJesus — yes; Member LaLacher — yes; Member Shea — yes; Member Boutenais — yes; Member Indi — yes).

- 93 Mammoth Rd. (George Scaff): $125,000 — Eligible (same roll-call pattern of yes votes).

- 21–25 Shattuck St. (Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association): $31,000 — Eligible (same roll-call yes votes).

- 8–10 Kirk St. (St. Anne’s Episcopal Church): $401,125 — Eligible (same roll-call yes votes).

- 225 Middlesex St., Boyden turbine (Learn to Lead Foundation of Lowell Inc.): $200,000 — Eligible subject to local historic-board finding of local significance; committee recorded the motion as amended to be conditional on that finding (roll call: all recorded members — yes).

- All Wheels Welcome (City of Lowell planning): $3,900,000 — Eligible (Vice Chair Baez Rose abstained; remaining recorded members — yes).

- 169.2 Bridge St., Mass Mills boiler building (Mullen Management Company): $803,522.25 — Eligible (roll call yes).

- 463 Moody St., North Canal redevelopment (Coalition for a Better Acre): $1,200,000 — Eligible (roll call yes).

- 408 Suffolk St., Suffolk Place LLC: $300,000 — Eligible (roll call yes).

What was not decided

Committee members repeatedly noted this meeting considered only eligibility; none of the applicants received final funding awards. Several applicants were told to supply historic-board determinations or additional documentation as part of their full applications. For the Boyden turbine project, the committee explicitly conditioned eligibility on a local historic-board vote establishing local significance.

Next steps

Applicants found eligible will be invited to submit full applications and supporting documentation and to appear at future committee meetings for substantive review, budget detail and possible funding recommendations.