LYNN — Lynn’s Hennessey House on Andrew Street is a significant redevelopment project, adding to the City of Lynn’s efforts to stabilize and revitalize the downtown. Initiated by Affordable Housing Associates of Lynn (AHL), in collaboration with the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) this project will create a safe living environment for our most vulnerable population while making a significant financial and physical commitment to Lynn and its citizens.
This project involves the renovation and conversion of an existing single room occupancy building owned by AHL into 51 studio apartments. The Hennessey House will create a more stable and safe living environment for residents with incomes below 60% and 30% of the City’s area median income.
“AHL is committed to preserving this building for low-income tenants by transforming the traditional SRO single rooms into studios with kitchens and baths and significantly increasing the services available to these tenants,” said Bob Ferrari, AHL President. “Upgrading these units will provide a sense of dignity and belonging while providing a service-rich resource center.
Along with the collaboration of AHL and LHAND, there are many more team members responsible in making this project a reality. The project is designed by Deer Hill Architects, and Caruso & McGovern, Inc. serves as the general contractor. Housing Partners, Inc. is the development consultant, while services will be provided by a joint venture of Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development and Eliot Community Human Health Services of Lynn, along with many other service agencies. The construction lender is Salem Five and Massachusetts Housing Partnership is providing permanent debt.
“The Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development has a long history of collaboration with AHL and this building through many programs and initiatives”, said Charles Gaeta, LHAND Executive Director. “Now this collaboration has expanded. This project couldn’t be done without the support and commitment from Mayor Nicholson and the Lynn City council, Mark Leff and Mark Palermo from Salem Five, Megan Mulcahy from MHP, architect John Crowell from Deer Hill Architects, consultant Charles Eisenberg from Housing Partners and Steve Caruso from Caruso McGovern Construction. It is this collaboration that drives this project.”
The Hennessey House represents not only a major revitalization effort to invigorate the downtown but will provide critically needed services. The project represents an investment of over $17 million into this important downtown building, of which the City of Lynn made a significant contributed of $6,250,000 through local HOME and American Rescue Plan Act funds for its local commitment. This remarkable contribution reaffirms the City of Lynn’s commitment through both Mayor Nicholson administration and the Lynn City Council to creating housing that is affordable to all residents.
“This project will result in the kind of deeply affordable units our community has a tremendous need for.” Said Mayor Jared Nicholson. “Knowing how LHAND is preparing the wraparound services that will be provided, we are confident that these units will offer the supports needed for residents who live there as well as stability for the downtown neighborhood where the project resides. The City made a sizable commitment to this project and the subsequent state investments and incredible planning work from LHAND have shown that confidence was well-placed.”
Through Governor Maura Healey’s administration, the project was initially awarded a Permanent Supportive Housing Grant award totaling more than $5.9 million in state and federal subsidies. After closing on its funding last month the building is slated for completion in December of 2026.
“The Healy administration through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Edward Augustus, has played a vital role, especially Undersecretary Catherine Racer and Special Assistant Alana Murphy, they deserve a special thanks,” said Director Gaeta. “And we are fortunate to have the support of our state delegation, Senator Brendan Crighton, Representative Dan Cahill, Representative Sean Reid. They have been supportive from the very start and quite frankly this project doesn’t get off the ground without the state’s involvement at every level.”
During the Permanent Supportive Housing Grant award announcement in 2023, Governor Healy remarked, “Our administration is committed to ensuring that Massachusetts residents have access to safe, secure and affordable housing. We’re proud to support projects in every region of our state that are providing permanent supportive housing for families, seniors, veterans, young people and people experiencing homelessness. This is the type of housing production that we want to drive in communities across the state to lower costs and address our housing crisis.”
