Fifteen planned apartments are moving ahead for the upper three floors of the downtown Haverhill building that houses The Peddler’s Daughter.
MassDevelopment partnered with Newburyport Bank to provide $3.2 million to finance construction of nine studio units and six one-bedroom units at 45-51 Wingate St. Developer Theodore P. Ammon is renovating the historic five-story building built in 1900. The Peddler’s Daughter and Shoe City Urban Bistro will remain onsite.
“Haverhill has done a great job of making its downtown a destination for eating and access to the Merrimack River for recreation and community activities,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. “By adding much-needed housing on underutilized upper floors, the city is bringing it to the next level by maximizing the mixed-use potential of longstanding buildings.”
As WHAV reported in 2021, the Haverhill City Council voted 8-1 to approve the project with Councilor Melinda E. Barrett opposed. Architect Scott Brown detailed the project.
“The big thing that we are doing with this building is that we are going to make it accessible to all. So, on the right side of the building where there is currently a ramp, we are entirely reworking that area, putting a new ramp in that will go to the lowest level. At the bottom of the ramp, we are going to create a lobby for the patrons of the restaurant and the tenants for the floors above. And off of that lobby, everyone will be able to access an elevator,” he said.
Brown said the building’s exterior will maintain an historic look. He added the studio units will be about 400 to 450 square feet while the one-bedrooms will be about 500 square feet.
Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini said, “For many years people thought these old, under-used buildings were undevelopable because they lacked elevators and parking so they stayed vacant for far too long. We started in the early 2000s by changing zoning and parking rules, but the real key to this project was construction of the nearby MVRTA parking garage, which will provide parking for these future residents.”
According to MassDevelopment, the building’s upper floors, which were previously comprised of office space, have been mostly vacant for more than 10 years. Twelve apartments will be rented at market rate. Three will be designated affordable, using HOME funds from the City of Haverhill and be rented to households earning up to 60% of area median income—currently $71,160 for a four-person household.