After the fire that destroyed the Queen Anne style house that stood for more than 100 years at One Washington Square, WHALE purchased the vacant lot from the City. WHALE committed to building a replica of the house that had burned, as so many area residents encouraged WHALE to do.
WHALE has a 4-unit residential plan fully permitted by the City, including exemptions from off-street parking requirements. The new foundation was poured and the first floor deck built in 2012.
Recently, WHALE’s Board of Directors voted to issue a Request for Proposals for the property. “We are seeking a development partner to complete the project, or a buyer who will commit to following the plans WHALE has drawn up,” announced architect Kit Wise, a Board member who created the plans for the new building.
The RFP is available by contacting WHALE at 508-997-1776 or at info@waterfrontleague.org. The property is owned by WHALE, and all proposals must include a demonstrated capacity for financing and carrying out the proposed reconstruction.
WHALE may be able to offer its capacity as a non-profit historic preservation organization to seek grants, individual contributions, and donations of materials and services to assist in reduction of the cost of construction. WHALE will also serve as technical advisors during construction.
“The market is strong right now,” noted Realtor Joyce Lopes, a Vice President of WHALE’s Board of Directors. “The commercial and investment market has really begun to come back, and new construction is up because of lower inventory. We believe this is a great time to offer this wonderful opportunity.”
The deadline for submitting proposals is Monday, May 13th, at 3:00 p.m.
