North Branch Construction, Inc. has completed the construction and renovation of a new housing facility for the non-profit organization Families in Transition. This building, located at 136 Lowell St., will serve as transitional housing for homeless women and their children.
This is the fourth building that North Branch has completed for Families in Transition. The project included the demolition of a large section of the existing historic building and the construction of a new three-story addition in its place. The remaining portion of the building underwent asbestos abatement and lead paint removal before a total renovation. The final product, designed by Burnell-Johnson Architects, includes an administrative office space, community kitchen and dining area, and 17 units of housing.
The Gothic Revival style building, originally named the Hervey Tufts House when it was built in 1846 by stove merchant Hervey Tufts, has changed ownership multiple times in the past 150 years and undergone many additions and renovations. New Hampshire governor and U.S. senator Person Colby Cheney bought the residence in 1867 for $6,500 and made various interior alterations including adding the upper-second story and front hall.
Purchased again in 1936, the house served as the rectory for Grace Church for 34 years, and by the 1970's it had developed into a Halfway House. During the winter of 1974, a fire caused significant damage to the house and it became vacant until purchased by the State of New Hampshire and reopened as the Friendship House in 1975. The Friendship House served as a halfway home for boys but eventually became vacant again and remained that way until it was brought back to life by North Branch and Families in Transition.
North Branch Construction has provided affordable housing in New Hampshire for many years with the construction of workforce, elderly, and transitional housing. Examples of these projects include Parmenter Place workforce housing in Concord and Spring Street veteran housing in Nashua.