ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Pictured left to right are, City Councilor Buzzy Barton, state Rep. Dan Cahill, Christine Newhall, NDA board chairwoman, Rich Powers of Century 21, City Councilor Darren Cyr and Peggy Phelps, director of planning and development at the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — East Lynn celebrated the construction of four new single-family homes in the Gertrude Street neighborhood.
Each open concept house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The kitchen features granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. It also includes a high-efficiency heating system and a deck or patio.
They are valued at about $425,000, according to Peggy Phelps, director of planning and development of Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND).
Three of the four homes are already occupied. The houses are sold individually but are part of a community homeowners association.
“We’re seeing people from outside the city coming in because it’s such a good value and that’s what we really want,” said Charles Gaeta, LHAND’s executive director.
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Neighborhood Development Associates (NDA), an LHAND subsidiary, purchased the property in 2015 for $320,000, according to Patriot Properties. A structure was demolished to make way for the dwellings.
“Our staff did all the work,” said Christine Newhall, NDA’s chairwoman. “We’re making houses fit into the neighborhood. We’re focused on bettering and enhancing existing neighborhoods.”
Abutters contributed their opinions and worked with the NDA in planning for the project.
“The neighbors had a lot to say with what was going in here,” Phelps said. “(City councilors) Buzzy Barton and Darren Cyr were great about working with the neighbors. They wanted single-family homes that (buyers) would have ownership of. Ownership strengthens neighborhoods.”
The project was financed by St. Jean’s Credit Union.
“Who would have thought we could get $400,000 in this area?” asked Cyr. “I grew up in this neighborhood; it’s just great.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.