Plans announced to rehabilitate Springfield apartments ravaged by June 2011 tornado
A Springfield apartment development that was heavily damaged by the June 1, 2011, tornado will be rehabilitated through various state and federal housing subsidies and tax credits, Governor Deval Patrick announced Friday.
The Center City Apartments, which consists of 47 units in four buildings located in three different neighborhoods, will be fully restored and upgraded to be more energy efficient with $1 million in state housing subsidies and $1.1 million in state and federal affordable housing tax credits, the governor said.
“We have been on the ground, committed to using last year’s crisis as an opportunity for these communities to rebuild and rebound stronger than before, and I am proud that these funds strengthen that commitment,’’ Patrick said in a statement. “Government’s role is to help people help themselves, and investing in affordable housing will build a better Commonwealth by generating jobs and growing local businesses.’’
The apartments, which have not been occupied since the tornado struck, will be upgraded with new boilers, windows, and porches. The buildings are more than 100 years old. They will also receive historically accurate finishes, the governor said.
“As we approach the one year anniversary of the devastating tornado that damaged this area, the support and assistance from the Patrick-Murray Administration has never diminished,’’ state Representative Brian Ashe, Democrat of Longmeadow, said in a statement. “This money will not only help those who desperately need housing, but it will also help to stimulate the economy with local jobs.’’
The funding was awarded as part of a $105 million investment in affordable housing for families, seniors, and veterans, the Patrick administration said.
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