Swampscott Pine Street Veterans Housing Plans Come Into Focus
SWAMPSCOTT, MA — With the demolition of the former building at 12-20 Pine Street in Swampscott complete, officials and developers are looking forward to plans for the housing project replacement that are designed to bring 40 units of affordable veterans housing to the town.
The launch of the SVP Veteran Residences of Swampscott this week is a joint venture between the town and Pine Street Development LLC to build units tailored specifically to meet the unique needs of the veteran population.
“This begins a major effort to revitalize and build upwards of 40 units of veterans affordable housing,” Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said at this week’s Select Board meeting. “This is an extraordinary project for any community and we are very proud that Swampscott can play a role in sponsoring veteran affordable housing.”
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Pine Street Development told Patch this week that it contributed more than $500,000 to the town of Swampscott to make this deal a financial reality.
“We are proud to partner with the Town of Swampscott in this noble endeavor,” said Mike Vienneau of Pine Street Development, LLC. “Together, we are building more than just homes; we are building a sense of belonging and security for those who have served our nation.”
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Fitzgerald said officials have scheduled some meetings and trips to similar veterans housing developments across the state — including Chelmsford and Chelsea — to learn more about the unique aspects of those facilities so they can be included in Swampscott.
“Our veterans deserve our unwavering support and gratitude, especially when it comes to ensuring they have a place to call home,” said Andrea Gayle-Bennett, First Deputy Secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services. “The Veteran Residences of Swampscott is a testament to the power of collaboration and compassion in addressing the housing needs of our veteran community.”
Fitzgerald said some additional fencing will soon be in place to make the site less “unsightly” following the demolition and prior to the start of the new construction.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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