Lawrence CommunityWorks

LAWRENCE

In 1999, The Life Initiative met with Bill Traynor and Deb Fox in the offices of the newly energized Lawrence CommunityWorks (LCW).

The organization had embraced a robust neighborhood planning and organizing initiative to deal with the vacant properties that blanketed more than 30% of LCW’s target area.

LCW explained to TLI staff its comprehensive plan to build rental and homeownership units, parks and community space. However it still faced severe challenges in acquiring the vacant sites. We understood the organization’s vision for revitalizing the neighborhood and stepped in with a five year, acquisition line of credit, which allowed LCW to move aggressively and acquire sites without having to seek financing for every single property. LCW’s first project using TLI funding, Reviviendo Family Housing, took three years to acquire and develop four sites, with eight separate transactions. The completed project provides 17 units of rental housing, renovated two National Register properties and received many national awards.

TLI acquisition funding has since been used to acquire vacant lots for the Union and Mechanic Homeownership project. This development also included environmental remediation and expansion of the existing community gardens as well as creating 5 units for first time homebuyers. In addition, TLI funding allowed LCW to acquire a half acre site for a future affordable housing rental project.

In 2006, LCW began a process which resulted in the rezoning of the downtown and adjacent mill district. The new zoning opened the opportunity for the reuse of existing mills, fronting on the Merrimack River, as mixed income housing. LCW saw the opportunity to acquire the Southwick Mill, a 240,00 square foot former textile complex, and turned to TLI for acquisition financing. TLI provided the financing quickly and was able to work seamlessly with the CDC and its commercial partners as well as other financing entities to structure and close the acquisition efficiently. Now known as Union Crossing, the mill will ultimately provide more than 100 units of housing and 80,000 square feet of commercial space. In total, over 150 units of housing are being created through the relationship between LCW and TLI.