Homing in on downtown
Crescent Building site, long left dormant, developed into rentals
FITCHBURG » Developer Nick Pelletier of Pelletier Properties gave a tour Friday to Mayor Stephen DiNatale, state Sen. John Cronin, and state Rep. Michael Kushmerek of the housing project his company is building on the corner of Blossom and Crescent streets.
Seven 1,700-square-foot, twobedroom units are being built on the site of the previous home of the historic Crescent building, which burned down in 2001. The site was sold to a developer who began construction in 2005 on luxury condominiums, but shortly after construction began the previous developer defaulted on the project with only foundations and initial site work complete.
“It was abandoned foundations for years,” Pelletier said. “The property remained an eyesore at the downtown intersection for nearly 15 years.”
Pelletier Properties took site control in January 2020 of the 0.508-acre lot that had a special permit still in place. After discussions with the City of Fitchburg including DiNatale Fitchburg Building Department, MassDevelopment, the Redevelopment Authority, and Fitchburg Housing and Development Office
the project plans were revised to better meet current market needs and new building codes.
Pelletier said he wants to name the housing units Crescent Townhouses as an homage to the former building, and that they were able to get $340,000 in Housing Development Incentive Program tax credits for the project which he estimates will be completed sometime in June.
“Without that this wouldn’t have been possible, we bought the land at risk,” he said of the tax credits. “Things are going good.”
Pelletier said they have utilized a number of local contractors and businesses from Fitchburg and the region for the project, including Bob Hakala of Hakala Bros Corp., the former developer who sold Pelletier the property and stayed on as the general contractor.
“I am just happy to have the whole thing finished,” Hakala said. “It’s an asset to the community. I am grateful to the Pelletier brothers for taking this on, we are very pleased and excited to be a part of it still.”
The project will add much needed market-rate housing to the downtown corridor. Pelletier said that while the units could potentially be sold in the future, for now they will be rentals.
“I believe very strongly this is a rental market,” he said. “I don’t think selling them would be good right now, maybe long term.”
Each two-story unit features an open concept living room and dining room area, wrap-around staircase, full bathroom, laminate flooring, a spacious storage closet and recessed lighting. Some of the units showcase a sweeping view of downtown Fitchburg and each one has its own oversize garage that could be used for additional storage.
“I knew garages would be important,” Pelletier said.
Pelletier said he has not listed the property yet but that he has had a lot of interest.
“I have had people call my cell,” he said. “I don’t want to say ‘ready June 1’ and then it not happen. I want to make sure the timing is right.”
Spiral staircases off the Blossom Street side of building will lead up to the second egress, and the housing unit is within walking distance to downtown and amenities there including bars, restaurants, offices and the MBTA commuter rail.
“For me, the proximity to the train station was critical to this project,” Pelletier said. “I envision young professionals, commuters and local professionals, moving in here. The resources are here and there is so much to do here.”
DiNatale, Kushmerek and Cronin all praised Pelletier for his part in the project and revamping the site.
“Here you are a young developer making this investment and showing other people what can be done,” Kushmerek said.
DiNatale said the city “couldn’t be happier and more thankful” to Pelletier and all the people involved in the project for bringing it to fruition.
“This was a complete eyesore, now it’s perfect urban living,” DiNatale said while enjoying the downtown view out a window on the second floor of one of the units.
Cronin congratulated Pelletier on the project, saying “it looks terrific.”
“I think this project more than anything else is a symbol of the irreversible momentum in downtown Fitchburg,” Cronin said.