Lowell committee finds multiple preservation and housing applications eligible for community preservation funding

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),…