TAUNTON — Applications are being accepted and interest is huge for the soon-to-be-completed Union Block Apartments on Main Street in Taunton.
Since June 7, when the window opened for people to apply, 247 applications have been received from prospective tenants as of June 25, according to Bryanna Diamond, the operations marketing manager for Peabody Properties, which is managing the rental property.
Just a little more than 30% of those applications have come from Taunton residents.
As to why the majority of applications are coming from outside the city, Diamond said Union Block is an “attractive housing opportunity” and she said she thinks there is a "renewed sense of vibrancy and economic opportunity” in Taunton.
The building of a rail station in Taunton for South Coast Rail, as well as other new housing developments being built near the station, were cited as examples of this economic opportunity during a recent Union Block Apartments information session Peabody hosted.
What is Union Block?
Union Block Apartments, at 17 Main St., is comprised of 38 mixed-income units across three of the five conjoined brick buildings known as the Union Block, originally built in the 1860s. The apartments take up the second and third floors of the buildings, while the ground floor consists of businesses.
In promotional materials, Peabody Properties emphasizes Union Block Apartments is desirable due to being in the heart of downtown Taunton and within walking distance of shops, restaurants, the library, City Hall, recreational facilities and public transportation.
Amenities
All apartments will come furnished with the usual appliances, like a refrigerator and stove, as well as a microwave and dishwasher. Kitchens are being advertised as “modern” with “sleek cabinetry and countertops.” Flooring will be wood-like plank throughout each unit.
Water, sewer, trash pick-up and heat are included. The property is also advertising being pet-friendly, having on-site laundry facilities, community rooms available, elevator access and on-site parking, though parking is limited to one car per unit.
Additional parking will have to be sought in the neighboring downtown area, such as the parking garage on Leonard Street or the parking lot on Trescott Street.
How many of the units will be affordable?
Of the 38 units:
- 26 units are "affordable housing," meaning tenants can't earn more than 60% of the area median income. Of those, four units are reserved for low-income tenants making no more than 30% of the area median income.
- 8 units are "workforce housing," meaning tenants must earn between 60% to 120% of the area median income.
- 4 units are market-rate.
- The site is also offering four mobile accessible units and one sensory accessible unit.
How much is the rent?
Rent amounts vary according to number of bedrooms and the income levels of the tenants. Except for the eight low-income and market-rate units, the rents are as follows:
- One-bedroom: $1300-$1700 a month, based on income level
- Two-bedrooms: $1500-$2000 a month, based on income level
- Three-bedrooms: $1770 a month (a total of 3 units, all for people making up to 60% of area median income)
The rent will be based on annual income for the four units reserved for low income residents earning up to 30% of area median income.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the rent for the four market-rate units will be.
Application process and lottery
The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, Aug. 7. Applicants will qualify to enter into a lottery, to take place later that month.
The eligibility process for an applicant starts days after the lottery, which includes credit and background checks and submitting required documentation proving you qualify and can afford the unit.
The screening process also includes an interview.
The winning applicants will be required to sign a lease, as well as pay a security deposit before moving in.
How do I apply?
Applications and all needed information are available online at www.liveunionblock.com or by calling Peabody Properties at 781-917-7353.
Years in the works
Talks and proposals to restore and renovate the Union Block buildings for residential units go back decades. Community development corporation Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc. (NOAH), came on board in 2017 to convert the building into mixed-income units.
“It’s not just a regular building. It’s a major historical asset for the city. We want to acknowledge the massive investment put into this,” said NOAH Executive Director Phil Giffe, adding the finished product will be “quite a facelift for the downtown.”
Emergency repairs delay construction, balloon costs
After approval from the city, it would take several years for NOAH to secure all the state and federal tax credits, as well as private loans from investors to fund the initial $18 million price tag, at no cost to the city.
Construction finally commenced in June 2023, but unforeseen structural issues discovered in critical parts of the conjoined buildings system forced the displacement of nine businesses just the next month, in July 2023.
“There were a lot of unexpected twists and turns on the structural side,” with this projects, said Giffee, calling it “a painful ordeal.”
Some businesses returned later that year, some businesses didn’t return until this year and one business didn’t return at all, choosing to remain at its temporary location.
Giffee added even if the Union Block had gone undeveloped, he believes the building system wouldn’t have lasted too many more years, if it weren’t for the discovery of these structural issues when it happened. Costs for repairing the structural issues all across the conjoined buildings ballooned the total cost of the project from $18 million to close to $28 million. Giffee said he and NOAH are grateful for private investors, public partners, the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Mayor Shaunna O’Connell’s administration and elected officials Carol Doherty and Marc Pacheco for their continued advocacy throughout the process.
When will Union Block open?
Giffee said there’s about 3-4 months of “finishing work” left, such as painting both the interior and exterior. But by mid-July, all the scaffolding, fencing, and construction barriers that have enveloped the buildings for the past year should be gone, he said.
After the Aug. 7 deadline to submit applications, the lottery, application review and screening processes by Peabody will run through September.
Moving into Union Block will begin by November.
Giffee added he is “looking forward to celebrating” Union Block’s completion and will enjoy the reactions when everyone “sees the fine work done.”
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