Barrington affordable-housing project breaks ground

BARRINGTON – The East Bay Community Development Corporation last week broke ground on Sweetbriar, a $13 million, 47-unit affordable housing project that had been in the planning stages since August 2003.
“Getting approval for Sweetbriar began as an uphill battle, right up to the [R.I.] Supreme Court,” East Bay CDC Executive Director Kathy Bazinet said in a statement. “But we proved to the community that Sweetbriar is going to be a great fit. Now, we have people asking us all the time, ‘When is it coming?’ It’s exciting to know that everyone is looking forward to this. Soon 47 families will know the joy of living in a beautiful new home.”
The development, located on Washington Road at the site of the former Barrington Elementary School, will add 23 new buildings with front porches and parking in the rear, according to Rhode Island Housing, which provided $5 million in construction loans to the $13 million project.
“Sweetbriar is an exciting, innovative neighborhood that embodies our KeepSpace philosophy,” Rhode Island Housing Executive Director Richard Godfrey said. “The community will incorporate attractive, affordable homes for local families, with open space for children and their families to enjoy.”
The project’s approvals and financing were finalized in March 2008. (READ MORE)
East Bay Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit whose mission is to preserve the quality of family and community life in the East Bay by insuring that attractive housing opportunities are available to its residents. For more information, go to www.ebcdc.org.