Daily News

Home City Development to Break Ground on Elias Brookings Apartments Today

SPRINGFIELD — Home City Development Inc. (HCDI) is celebrating the start of construction of the Elias Brookings Apartments. The groundbreaking will take place today, March 26, at 2 p.m. at 367 Hancock St. in Springfield. A small group of elected public officials will gather for the event, rain or shine. The event will include speakers and a short tour, and will be livestreamed to www.facebook.com/homecitydevelopment. A video of the event, including messages from funders and partners, will be widely circulated soon afterward.

Home City Development has begun construction to adapt and reuse the former Elias Brookings School into 42 mixed-income rental apartments. Elias Brookings Apartments will contain a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and on-site parking for 61 vehicles. The property will have an elevator, laundry room, and management office. The 4,000-square-foot former gymnasium will be used as a multi-purpose resource center and community room for athletics, theater, youth and adult training and education, supportive services for residents, and other events.

Elias Brookings School was built in 1925 and opened in 1926. The school was damaged in the June 1, 2011 tornado and closed. A new Elias Brookings School was built nearby on Walnut Street, and in 2018 the former school building was purchased by Home City Development. In recognition of Home City Development’s preservation efforts, upon completion, the building will be nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Funding for the redevelopment is provided by TD Bank, National Equity Fund, Community Economic Development Assistance Corp., the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, MassHousing, the Springfield Community Preservation Committee, the Springfield Office of Housing, and Dorfman Capital.

Davis Square Architects is the project architect, and Allegrone Construction Co. is the general contractor. Construction is scheduled for completion in March 2022. The completed property will be managed by Housing Management Resources. Tenants will be selected by lottery, and lottery applications will be accepted beginning in late 2021. E-mail [email protected] to request a tenant-selection lottery application.

Home City Development Inc. is a nonprofit, resident-centered developer of multi-family and mixed-use properties in Western Mass. HCDI was founded as Better Homes Inc. in 1968 by the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Over more than 50 years, HCDI has worked to facilitate community stability and growth in collaboration with numerous partners and residents.