Politics & Government

Winchester Could Add Housing in Town Center

Winchester is looking into the Town Center Initiative.

One housing project in Winchester is coming to an end, but there could be more on the way. As the are slowly finished, the town still has the property to find a developer for.

However, the Winchester Town Center is another area that could see housing units added.

The Planning Board and Town Planner, Betsy Ware, are working on a T

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According to Planning Board chair, Lance Grenzeback and Ware, the goal of the initiative is to “revitalize Winchester’s town center."

The initiative would look at the possibility of adding retail development, housing, cultural activities and educational programs. But at the same time, the initiative would “shape and preserve the built and natural environments” pertaining to buildings and public ways, transportation facilities, the Aberjona River and parks.

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Currently, the town is only conducting studies to find out what the housing demand would be, where developments would go in the center, identify potential commercial development sites and other various studies relating to the initiative.

According to Grenzeback, the housing would be apartment-style homes in the center, which would be aimed at Winchester residents looking to downsize or younger residents trying to move in to town.

“It’s critically important to keep people in town,” Grenzeback said. “We want a diversity of age in the community. There are empty-nesters who are looking to downsize and they can’t find anything in Winchester.”

The idea of creating housing in the center, according to Grenzeback, would be to allow an affordable option for people trying to move into Winchester.

“The housing stock is so expensive,” Grenzeback said.


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