New faculty apartments under renovation

Next fall, new Tufts professors will have a another option for local housing, with renovations of the former Hillside School, which Tufts bought last year, nearing the end of its first phase of construction.

The former elementary school is intended to provide an affordable and environmentally-friendly housing alternative for Tufts' new junior faculty members and "ease their transition to the area," according to Vice President of Operations John Roberto.

LR Construction, a general contracting firm from Framingham, MA, has made renovations to both the interior and exterior of the building during the demolition period according to Vice President of Operations John Roberto. Residents should be able to move in next fall.

Although rents will not be subsidized, the apartments will demand lower prices than many nearby housing options. Bruce Ketchen, Director of Real Estate Property Services, estimated a montly rent of approximately $1,500 per unit.

Environmental concerns have affected the renovation processes. "We are attempting to include as many eco-friendly components as possible," Ketchen said. According to Ketchen, many demolition materials are being recycled.

The finished building will include a bike room to encourage alternative means of transportation and high-efficiency heating and lighting equipment. Ketchen believes that the eco-friendliness of the building will enhance its marketing potential, especially since the intended tenants of the building are likely to be receptive to this type of feature.

Each of the 12 existing classrooms will be converted into a loft-style apartment, Ketchen said. Four units will be based on a two-bedroom model, while the others will be one-bedroom units. Many of the original classroom features, including the blackboards and hardwood floors, will be retained.

The renovations, which should be completed in early spring, are being directed by Walnut Hill Properties. Walnut Hill, a real estate company associated with Tufts, purchased the building and its 50, 000-square-foot lot from the city of Medford last fall.

Built in 1923, it was as an elementary school until about six years ago. Walnut Hill purchased the property for $801,852 in a sealed bidding process last year.

A number of Massachusetts cities are currently redefining their education programs, Ketchen said. Multiple schools are left vacant every year because it is often more cost effective for cities to accommodate these restructured education systems by building new schools instead of renovating the old ones. Medford is in the process of building nine new schools, Ketchen said, and is selling off hold ones.

After the school was sold, however, the neighborhood's residents expressed discontent with the changes effected by the sale. To avoid creating a similar situation with the sale of the Hillside School, the town created a committee of neighborhood representatives and government officials which assessed local concerns and then determined certain stipulations as to how the building should be used.

After deciding that the Hillside School should be used for residential purposes, the committee specified that the building should retain its original fa?§ade. This led to the plan for the Tufts faculty apartment building. Walnut Hill agreed not to use the building for undergraduates, provide sufficient on-site parking, and maintain a memorial plaque at the school after the committee expressed concern about these issues.