Scituate Advances Affordable Senior Housing Project at Gates School Site
Grantham Group proposal for 63-unit development moves forward after being sole respondent to town's RFP
SCITUATE - March 11 - The Scituate Select Board is moving forward with a proposal from the Grantham Group to develop a 63-unit, 100% affordable, age-restricted senior residential building at the former Gates School site.
The proposal, which would be known as "The Gates Apartments," was the only submission received in response to the town's Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of Building B at the Gates property.
"We did receive a single proposal, even though we had two walk-throughs with many people," Finance Director Nancy Holt explains. "Another group, POA, did reach out to us and said the numbers just didn't work for them."
The Grantham Group, which previously built Lawson Green in Scituate, proposes a project with an estimated cost of $32 million. The town's contribution would amount to approximately $79,000 per unit.
The Select Board unanimously agreed to invite the Grantham Group to present their proposal at an upcoming meeting, with plans to make the proposal available online for public review.
"I think it's worth a larger discussion to make sure the community also can ask questions," says Select Board member Susan Harrison.
The proposal includes tearing down the existing Building B while maintaining the recreation center, gymnasium, and all five tennis courts. The new building would be designed to resemble the current structure's appearance.
"They put up a building that looked pretty darn close to the front end," notes Harrison. "I do think they understand the community's history of concerns with that."
Select Board member James Gilmore expresses confidence in the developer's track record. "They checked out. They're a good group. And they're using a great architect."
The proposal addresses several community concerns, including parking. The developers specifically mentioned that senior center parking would remain separate from what they would need for their facility.
While supportive of moving forward, Harrison raises questions about the focus on senior housing rather than multi-generational housing.
"What we were told when we went into this was that there's less state money and grants for senior housing, and more so for the multi-generation," Harrison says. "I do have some questions and concerns, but I'd love to talk with the people proposing."
Member Karen Connolly responds that while the state requires towns to zone for multi-family housing, "they're not giving us one single set, not one. They're not even considering any of that to be going toward our affordable housing stock."
The Gates School property has been vacant for six years, and the town has made its redevelopment a priority. The Select Board plans to schedule a larger public meeting in a venue that can accommodate significant attendance once they've had an initial presentation from the Grantham Group.
The board also discussed:
* Water Treatment Plant Progress: The project remains on schedule and within budget, with approximately 20% of the timeline completed and 18% of payments made. The first change order request represents less than 0.01% of the contract value. Construction progress includes foundation work and concrete pours, with about 900 of the planned 6,000 cubic yards of concrete already poured.
* Digital Legal Notices: The board unanimously approved pursuing special legislation similar to the Town of Lincoln's that would allow Scituate to use digital platforms rather than print newspapers for legal notices. The town currently spends approximately $15,000 annually on required legal advertising. Town Administrator Jim Boudreau suggested they could also ask legislators to amend the municipal empowerment act to make digital notices an option for all municipalities.
* Plover Monitoring Fund: The board approved creating a gift fund to help offset the rising costs of monitoring endangered plovers on town beaches. The monitoring, which previously cost $3,500, now exceeds $50,000 for two years. The fund will accept donations and offer a $100 per season subscription service for "Scituate Plover Watch" updates.
* Pushing School Trail Rehabilitation: The board approved a $107,700 contract with Foulsham Corporation for trail rehabilitation work, noting the project received ten competitive bids.
* Gas Line Replacement: Eversource will replace a 1929 gas main on Jericho Road, contributing approximately $142,000 toward the eventual repaving costs. The work is expected to take two to three months, with repaving likely to occur in spring 2026 after allowing time for settlement.