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Commission approves St. Vincent de Paul's new shelter, warming center and 16-unit supportive housing project on Liberty Street
Summary
Saint Vincent de Paul won a special exception to build a new three-story facility with a permanent warming center, soup kitchen and 16 studio apartments, supported by $9.4 million from the Department of Housing and $1 million in city ARPA funds. Commissioners and business groups voiced support; staff conditions on drainage and utility reviews were recorded.
The commission granted a special exception for Saint Vincent de Paul to construct a new ~24,000-square-foot facility at 12 Liberty Street that will include a soup kitchen, a year-round warming center (operational season Dec 1Apr 1), office space and 16 studio apartments targeted to people experiencing homelessness.
Executive Director Mary Ellen Shuckrow described the building's layout (basement mechanicals and shower suites, a street-level soup kitchen with gated driveway access, and two floors of efficiency apartments with on-floor laundry). She said the Department of Housing recently increased support for the project to approximately $9.4 million and that the city provided $1 million in ARPA funds to acquire and remediate the site. "The new one will accommodate 40 in bedrooms," Shuckrow said when discussing warming-center capacity.
Neighbors, the Middlesex Chamber and local business groups offered support; the design-review board approved the building facade concept. Staff recorded outstanding items related to drainage, water and sewer comments that must be addressed before permits issue. The commission approved the special exception, and the decision includes the staff review conditions to be resolved prior to permitting.
