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Concord housing trust funds environmental, engineering study to explore more units at 91B Main Street
Summary
After a tied vote on an acquisition motion, the Concord Municipal Affordable Housing Trust unanimously approved funding for an environmental assessment and a 90‑day engineering conceptual design to determine whether the surplus state parcel at 91B Main Street can support more than four ownership units.
The Concord Municipal Affordable Housing Trust voted Jan. 6 to fund an environmental assessment and a 90‑day engineering conceptual design to explore expanding housing at the 1.45‑acre surplus state parcel at 91B Main Street.
The action followed a failed motion to request Select Board approval to acquire the property from MassDOT at a proposed $600,000 sale price and to authorize a $629,000 acquisition budget. That first motion ended in a 3‑3 tie after Trust members split over the projected cost per unit and whether the site could support more than four units. Rich Feeley, Linda Escobedo and Matt Johnson voted in favor; Mary Hartman, Mike Lawson and Chair Keith Bergman opposed.
Mary Hartman told colleagues she was concerned about the per‑unit subsidy under the four‑unit plan and asked for assurance that a design supporting additional units had been explored before pursuing acquisition. Staff and RHSO representatives said engineering work would be required to determine feasibility.
The unanimous follow‑on vote authorized two specific tasks: an environmental assessment (quoted at $4,600 by consultant VHB) and a conceptual engineering plan to test options for adding units (Dillis & Roy quoted $1,000 for a 6‑unit concept). The Trust asked that both work products be completed within 90 days and returned for further consideration.
Chair Keith Bergman noted the Trust has $500,000 in Town ARPA funds available for acquisition that must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026, and that any purchase from the state would require Select Board approval to transfer the property to a chosen developer. Trust members said they would review the consultants’ findings before deciding whether to ask the Select Board to proceed with acquisition or to change the project scope.
The Trust did not take a binding acquisition vote; it limited action to funding the studies and preserving options while staff seeks engineering confirmation of whether more units could be built.
