LYNN — Construction is underway in the back parking lot of the former Union Hospital site, where 26 single-family homes for residents ages 55 and older will be completed in the next two years.
Before building the homes, the developer of the property, David Solimine Jr., said there is a lot of site work that needs to be done.
Work on that property — which was used by the hospital as staff and overflow parking — began in November with tree removal, followed by the grounding up of concrete and taking dirt from the hill that was in the back; this work was done to construct a new road as part of the project.
The new road going into the property, dubbed Woodland Village, will be constructed using the recycled hot top and dirt from the back parking lot as a base to help create a gradual incline with a cul de sac at the top.
“It’s moving along,” Solimine said.
The homes will be clustered to protect the existing wetland areas and keep a buffer of trees and natural woods between the new homes and the abutting existing homes.
The closest homes to the backyards on Mary Ellen Drive — which is toward the back-left part of the development — will be about 100 feet. The closest homes to the backyards of Joel Circle — which is to the back right of the land — will be about 150 feet.
The new homes will include two floors with bedrooms on both so that residents, who Solimine expects to mostly be around the age of 70, can live primarily on the first floor if they want to.
“We’re looking at spring to start the construction on the houses, maybe closer to the summer because zoning took a little longer than we anticipated,” Solimine said. “The site work should move right along throughout the winter, but it’s weather dependent so schedules may get thrown off a little bit.”
The detached, single-family homes in Woodland Village will be part of a homeowners’ association, but aren’t like the typical condominiums that are attached to each other.
The 9-acre property of Woodland Village is being modeled after the nearby Nells Pond Village, which has 30 homes built on 10 acres.
There is no presale for the homes, but Solimine said once they start constructing the homes and have something to show to people, the units will be put on the market.
Solimine is also developing the front site where the hospital was, building 150 senior-housing apartments that focus on affordability and preference for current Lynn residents.
This property will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, and will include space for medical and social-support services for the residents that will be provided by the Element Care PACE program.
For the senior-housing apartments, Solimine has partnered with 2 Life Communities of Brighton to manage the project.
The Element Care amenity, which will be in the south part of the building and the only section of the hospital that will not be torn down, will be available for the entire community and is expected to open first.
This project is still in the demolition phase, but Solimine said the main part of the hospital that is still standing is expected to be down within the next month.
Once the demolition is completed, the bid for the apartments will go out and construction is expected to begin in early 2023.
There will also be a parking garage below the apartments, so the original hospital parking lot will be used as outdoor green space for the residents and neighborhood.
“The whole idea is to have neighborhood involvement,” Solimine said.
Solimine is also talking with 2 Life Communities about putting a café or some kind of dining option in the apartment complex for the residents and neighborhood to use.
“If a neighbor wants to meet up with someone living in the senior-housing apartments, they can meet to grab a coffee, then walk around outside or sit at the benches,” Solimine said. “We want the space to be available, of course for the residents, but the neighborhood too.”
To learn more about these projects, visit union2021.org.
