(Masslive) HOLYOKE — New residents soon will start moving into Essex Village, Way Finders’ new $28.5 million, 41-unit property next to its existing Library Commons homes.
“It’s about the people who call this neighborhood home, who make a real difference every day, who make a difference when they say hello to their neighbor on the street,” said Keith Fairey, Way Finders’ president and CEO, at a ribbon cutting Friday. “And you’re going to have a few more neighbors to say hello to.”
Essex Village continued Way Finders’ work in Holyoke’s Churchill neighborhood. The 38-unit Library Commons buildings comprise a total of 38 homes. Library Commons opened in 2021 and follows the 2013 renovation and expansion of the nearby Holyoke Public Library.
But speakers, including state Rep. Patricia Duffy, D-Holyoke, and state Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, mentioned how long Essex Village really took.
The project was first proposed about 14 years ago, with much of that time taken up by securing financing.
“There is absolutely no way out of this housing crisis that we are confronted with in the commonwealth of Massachusetts if every project takes years and years and years,” Velis said.