Questions about developer Trinity Financial's economic model and funding for the education of children at the proposed Devens development were the main topics of discussion Tuesday evening as the Harvard Board of Selectmen hosted a meeting with Harvard's Planning Board, School Committee, Devens Economic Analysis Team, and Trinity Financial to review Trinity's proposal for developing Vicksburg Square at Devens.
Harvard board members emphasized "the long view" of development outlined in the Devens Reuse Plan, noting that, as Selectman Tim Clark said, "We have to provide governance and services" not just for the next 15 years, but for the long term.
Trinity is proposing to develop the buildings at Vicksburg Square, formerly housing for soldiers stationed at Devens, into 246 rental housing units, 80 percent of which will be income-restricted (affordable) housing and 20 percent will be market rate. Preference in housing will be given to veterans and older individuals and their families.
Selectmen Chair Marie Sobalvarro began the conversation commenting that she was impressed with the quality of Trinity's projects, then asked Trinity Financial President Jim Keefe, "Can you identify a suburban community where you've developed this type of project? Most of your projects are dependent upon [urban] transportation and infrastructure"
Keefe said that municipal sewer and water are in place and, with respect to transportation, "We are in a place where most people drive," adding a theme he returned to throughout the evening, "We have no doubts about our ability to market this property."
Keefe said: "We don't have a bus or subway, but people are getting to work now and will continue to somehow, which makes it a marketability issue," adding, "I am confident in our ability to fill the building."
On services for Vicksburg Square, Keefe pointed out that "we have to balance all three towns' issues," and stated that Ayer's fragile downtown retail area precludes building more storefronts at Vicksburg Square. He added, "Vicksburg Square is not large enough by itself to support services that you've mentioned."
Sobalvarro pointed out that from Vicksburg Square it's a quarter mile to a gas station and 2.5 miles to a supermarket. "Folks are much more isolated" than they would be in an urban environment, she said.
Keefe questioned how not building affordable housing solves that problem, to which Sobalvarro referenced a state Department of Housing and Community Developement study indicating that Massachusetts' North Central Region, already has an oversupply of affordable housing.
"This is a project where the numbers work for you, but not for us," Sobalvarro said.
Planning Board Chair Kara Minar calculated the average family income for the proposed development at $31,000 a year, which translates, Minar said, into a disposable income of about $56 a day. She then began deducting costs, asking Keefe what the cost of a cab ride from Vicksburg Square to the nearest grocery store might be ($10 each way, she said), bringing the disposable income per day down to $36.
"How much would it cost to go to [Deaconess-Nashoba Hospital] for a well-child visit? Twenty dollars each way," Minar said.
Minar added that the cost of a commuter rail monthly pass would be $235 for Vicksburg Square residents who needed to go to jobs in Boston.
"People really scrimp to get by," Keefe responded. "We're trying to provide something that's more important than a cab ride, we're trying to provide affordable housing."
Keefe said the total time to complete construction at Vicksburg Square might be as much as five years.
"When we get Town Meeting approval we would begin to finalize the schematics for the site," he said.
Construction would start sometime late next year and would take 12 months for the first two buildings, Keefe said. He pointed out that Trinity can't control variables such as the timing of special town meetings.
"[The Department of Housing and Community Development] says that they have 13 approved projects in the pipeline," said Devens Economic Analysis Team chair Victor Normand. "What makes you believe you can jump that list?"
"I don't have a commitment [from the Department of Housing], but I have confidence that we will be funded," Keefe answered.
The funding process could add up to three years to the completion of the project, Normand said, and Keefe agreed that was possible. Although the economic outlook for market rate projects is currently negative, "at some point the economics will change," Normand said.
Dan Brazen, Assistant Project Manager for Trinity Financial said that he wanted the benefits of the Vicksburg Square development project to the community "clearly articulated."
"One, Harvard has a 40B liability. Two, this housing is for veterans and seniors. We need to honor our military heritage. This area has among the highest concentration of veterans in the nation. And three, this is economic development: 150 jobs per building, 600 [construction] jobs over the life of the project," Brazen said. "We're talking about people going back to work."