Community Preservation Committee recommends $1.99 million in grants, including $300,000 for veterans housing

The Community Preservation Committee on March 5 recommended $1,986,776 in awards across 11 projects and three funding categories, advancing a package that the committee said balances small, ready-to-build historic projects with larger housing and open-space initiatives.

Chair (staff) told the panel the committee had "$2,000,000" available for allocation and reviewed three categories—open space & recreation, historic preservation and community housing—before members worked through each application.

The committee placed the following recommended awards: All Wheels Welcome (open space) $300,000 (half of the $600,000 request), Victorian Park (downtown) $26,776 (full request), Suffolk Place $125,000, Mass Mills Phase 4 $125,000 (historic portion), Veterans building (Bridge Club) $300,000 (housing/acquisition), Affordable Housing Trust Fund $310,000, 2461 Market $125,000, Cobblestones window replacement $125,000, Smith Baker Building $200,000, 93 Mammoth Road conversion $50,000 and Saint Anne's $300,000. The committee said that left approximately $21,000 in the CPC pot to roll into next year.

Why it matters: committee members framed the package as an attempt to both preserve historic fabric and leverage private…