By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
A ribbon was cut Monday morning at a century old building in downtown Pawtucket, the cornerstone of a series of rehabilitation projects, bringing more than 40 affordable housing units to Pawtucket and Central Falls.
The three story, brick building on Bayley Street was known variously as the Gately Building and the Old Colony Bank building. It features 13 apartments on the upper stories and a ground floor that will include Farm Fresh Rhode Island, the not-for-profit food incubator that brings together food producers, consumers and markets.
City officials said the building had been vacant for for about 20 years.
“We see all these little projects that are happening. This one here, has been underway for 20 years, and when you think about it, it takes too long,” said Mayor Donald Grebien, (D-Pawtucket).
“With the economy starting to change a little bit, there’s money being invested, so we’re starting to see little changes, so it’s a great opportunity for us,” Grebien said.
“What I love about this project is, obviously first and foremost, we’re providing families an opportunity for a safe place to live, an affordable apartment,” said Barbara Fields, Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing.
“The ground floor is going to be Farm Fresh Rhode Island, so you have young people getting trained in the food business, so it really works on so many levels,” Fields said.
Nine other properties around Pawtucket and Central Falls are being rehabilitated by the non-profit, Pawtucket Central Falls Development Corp. They will provide a total of 41 affordable, rental apartments under a $12 million project utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits, a proceeds of a state bond referendum, state and federal historic tax credits, funding from the private Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and other sources, including TD Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank and Pawtucket Credit Union.
