The Senior Center is expected to cost $3,397,000 to build.  Town Meeting previously approved up to $1,740,000 to be spent to build a new Senior Center.  Thorndike Development, the current owner of the site now planned for the new Senior Center, has agreed to pay up to $2,600,000 toward the cost of the Senior Center in connection with its construction of 102 Senior Condominiums.

In 2022, Town Meeting approved $1,740,000 to fund the renovation of the Halifax Museum Building so it could function as the new Council on Aging. However, construction bids came in substantially higher than the amount allocated, and the town was forced to put the plans on hold.  

The Monponsett Street site is being donated to the town for $10 along with enough land for a properly-sized parking lot and Pickleball Courts!  Town officials feel that this site is better situated at the center of town and will be less expensive to develop.

Once the zoning and plan are approved, the property owner is obligated to deed the town the land for the Senior Center and Pickleball Courts, no matter what.  Also, the developer of the Senior Condos is obligated to pay the town up to $2,600,000 as the condos are built.  This money can only be used to build the Senior Center and will be combined with $1,200,000 of the original $1,740,000 approved for the Senior Center creating a kiddy of $3,800,000.  The budget to construct the new Senior Center is $3,397,000 so there is a healthy cushion built in.

Presently, we expect construction of the Senior Center to start in 2025 and be open in fall of 2026.  Projects like this unfortunately always take longer to build than we would like.  However, the first step to get us started is approving these zoning changes.

Thorndike Development has agreed to donate the land and pay for the construction of the Pickleball Courts in connection with its construction of 102 Senior Condominiums.

There will be four Pickleball Courts managed by the Town. They will be open to all Halifax residents and subject to reasonable rules of operation.

No.  Town officials decided that in this case, it was more important that the town negotiate a substantial mitigation payment to help fund the new Senior Center rather than insist on affordable housing being included in the development.

Remember, these condominium homes are for Seniors.  No school age children will be permitted to permanently live in any of the homes.

These condominiums are anticipated to be a net positive to the tax rolls every year. This is because the roads will be privately maintained and there will be no impact on the town’s schools.