By Adam Swift
City Manager Fidel Maltez provided a brief update on the Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea at Monday night’s city council meeting.
The redevelopment project is a public-private partnership between the state and developer Pennrose. The design process calls for 240 units over four phases.
“Our team recently held a meeting with Pennrose, the developer of the project,” stated Maltez. “Pennrose estimates closing on financing for the project in October of 2025. Once financing is complete, the project will begin.”
At this time, Pennrose estimates construction to begin in December of this year for Phase I, and construction to begin in 2026 for Phase 2 of the project.
“These first two phases will build 150 housing units, and will allow residents to move into the new apartments from existing buildings,” Maltez stated. “Phase 3 and Phase 4 will begin once these relocations are completed.”
Pennrose representatives have stated that all 121 veterans currently living on site will be able to remain on the property during construction and will have a place in one of the newly updated units.
Veterans will have 100 percent preference for the affordable units at the redeveloped Veterans’ Home.
There will be centralized social services provided onsite provided by Soldier On, a private nonprofit organization that provides veterans services at similar locations, according to Pennrose.
At Monday night’s council meeting, Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson said he has heard concerns from some current residents about the food service once the redevelopment is complete.
“I want to make sure that they are getting three meals a day as opposed to two,” said Robinson.
Pennrose is preserving all nine buildings that are on the current Soldiers’ Home site, with the only scheduled demolition set for the one-story incinerator building.
The new construction for the project includes 18 units of townhouses, a two-story cafe and community building, and a new building on the east parcel at the corner of Hillside and Crest Avenue.
Phase I is scheduled to include 69 units.
Maltez also gave a brief update on the potential redevelopment of the Market Basket parcel on Monday night.
“Our team continues to meet with Market Basket on a proposed redevelopment of the Mystic Mall,” said Maltez. “Our last meeting was very productive and resulted in very good discussions on the project. Market Basket is making some modifications to their proposal.
“Once these modifications are received, we will share them with the City Council.”