State and local officials Wednesday celebrated the $17 million renovation of an affordable housing complex in Springfield's McKnight neighborhood.
The Michaels Group, which owns the Bergen Circle property, upgraded windows, flooring, kitchens and bathrooms — among other things — across the 200 units. Mass Housing, a quasi-public agency, provided much of the financing for the project in the form of loans. Agency spokesperson Tom Farmer said it's important to maintain affordable housing units.
"It has a huge psychological effect on the residents in the neighborhood and the city, to be able to take a property like this that's an important source of housing and rehabilitate it so that's it's going to continue to be an important source of housing literally decades into the future," he said.
Jed Henderson, a vice president with the Michaels Group, echoed those sentiments.
“We’re looking to provide quality affordable housing for years to come and we’re looking to lift the lives of the residents of Bergen Circle,” he said. “We’re glad to be part of the transformation and having the support of Mass Housing and the City of Springfield.
The celebration at Bergen Circle came a day after a ribbon cutting at the 31 Elm housing project in Springfield’s downtown. Farmer said about 15 of the about 70 units are deemed as affordable.
Farmer said about 90% of the Bergen Circle units are currently occupied.
