Cardinal Seán O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, Lisa Alberghini, president of the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, and Matthew Mittelstadt, managing director of EA Fish Development, joined representatives from the town and federal and state officials to celebrate the commencement of construction of Barstow Village, a residential development that will provide affordable elderly housing.
The development will be Energy Star compliant and will incorporate green building design and healthy housing components, with the goal of achieving a LEED Home Silver designation.
The Planning Office and EA Fish Development expect construction of Barstow Village to be complete by April 2012.
Located on 6.6 acre parcel owned by the Hanover Housing Authority, the new residential development will feature 66 units of elderly housing with 77 parking spaces. The development will include support services and programs for residents that promote independent living and offer amenities such as air conditioning, a community room with a kitchen, laundry facilities, and outdoor patio and community space.
"The success and expedience with which the Barstow Village project was developed from a concept to a community under construction speaks to our strong partnership with the Planning Office, our financing sources, as well as the Town of Hanover," said EA Fish Development managing director Matthew Mittelstadt.
"Hanover's forward-thinking polices have made for an extremely productive work environment." Lisa Alberghini, President of the Planning Office agreed, adding, "the example of partnership offered through the Barstow Village development is extraordinary, and the outcome even more so...providing high quality affordable homes where our seniors can live with dignity and respect."
"The Planning Office, in partnership with EA Fish Development, has once again demonstrated its commitment to providing affordable housing for all of our neighbors, including our seniors," said O'Malley. "Developments like Barstow Village help build strong, healthy and inclusive communities which fulfill the social mission of the church and our partners by upholding and respecting the dignity of all people."
"Projects such as Barstow Village are critical to supporting the continued growth and development of the Commonwealth as an attractive and affordable place to live for all residents, including our seniors in need of more affordable housing options" said Thomas Gleason, executive director of MassHousing speaking on behalf of the Commonwealth. "We are proud to be a partner with the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, EA Fish Development and the Town of Hanover in creating what will soon be a very vibrant community."
"As a Housing Authority, we're extremely proud of the efforts of our town officials, our public safety departments and E.A. Fish to help bring us to this day," said Thomas M. Burke, Jr., Chairman of the Hanover Housing Authority. "We also owe a big thanks to our neighbors who participated in the process, made their concerns known and ultimately supported Barstow Village as a true asset for our community."
About the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Inc.
The Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Inc. is a social justice ministry affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston. Established in 1969, the Planning Office strives to create vibrant communities through the development of high quality affordable and mixed income housing, where people of modest means can live with dignity and respect in homes they can afford. As a foremost non-profit developer in the Northeast and a leading diocesan housing development ministry for the Catholic Church in America, POUA has developed more than 2,500 units of affordable and mixed- income housing, providing homes for more than 10,000 people in Massachusetts.

About EA Fish Development
Based in Braintree, EA Fish Development has been developing and building residential communities since 1976 with more than $18 billion in completed projects in the Northeast and Florida.