LYNN — The current two-family home at 52 Whiting St. has been purchased by a nonprofit educational firm, which plans to turn the property into transitional housing.
The property will be renovated and a third floor will be added to accompany 24 units.
The property will include 24 bedroom units as well as common areas including the kitchens and living-room space.
Inspectional Services Department (ISD) Chief and Building Commissioner Michael Donovan said construction on the property should begin soon, as the new owners are now just waiting for the building permits to be approved.
Donovan said the property was purchased about a year ago and, because it has an educational component to it, the Dover Amendment exempts it from local zoning regulations.
Under this amendment, Donovan said, the owners are free to house 24 people and incorporate employees into the home, and are protected by law in their endeavors.
“They’re allowed to work around the zoning and construct what they seek, as long as they comply reasonably with dimensional regulations,” Donovan said. “I did a zoning analysis on it and they are allowed to do what they want to do.”
The rest of Whiting Street is zoned to include two- and three-family homes, so Executive Director of the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Lynn (EDIC/Lynn) James Cowdell said this will be a big change to the neighborhood.
“This will definitely loom large in the neighborhood,” Donovan added.
The 3,514-square-foot property was sold for $650,000 and is accompanied by off-street parking spaces, a two-car garage and a basement with a washer and dryer.
Cowdell said the transitional housing unit will offer nine parking spaces for the employees.
Cowdell added that he has been seeing nonprofits buying homes around the area to turn them into group and transitional housing, changing the character of what the neighborhoods are used to.
Donovan said the nonprofit that purchased 52 Whiting St. last year also owns a transitional housing property on Western Avenue.
Donovan estimated the work on the Whiting Street property will be done within a few months.
