South Shore Habitat for Humanity Breaks Ground for Westwood House

Under a perfect sun-filled sky, members of South Shore Habitat for Humanity (SS Habitat) and Westwood town officials gathered on Monday, May 17, 2021 at the northwest corner of Burgess Avenue and Highview Street in Westwood for the ceremonial breaking of first ground of the next SS Habitat house.  It will be the organization's sixty-third house in its thirty-fifth anniversary year. 

On hand for the groundbreaking were SS Habitat Executive Director Beth Lyons and Director of Project Development Noreen Brown.  They arrived together in the organization's white pick-up truck, which carried on its bed a collection of shovels for the event.  

Also on site to participate in the ceremony were Select Board Member Michael Walsh, Town Administrator Christopher Coleman, Community & Economic Development Director Nora Loughnane, and SS Habitat Board Members Dominique Mattieu and Dick Halverson.

"Its a great site," observed Mr. Halverson, now retired but whose prior fifty-five years of experience in real estate development and construction has informed SS Habitat builds.  "It's a corner location with a great view and central location for a great family."  He and Mr. Mattieu noted that the house design, a cape, will look very similar to its neighbor on Highview Street, fitting in with the neighborhood.  The house will have a Highview address and its front is planned to face the corner itself, where Highview Street intersects Burgess Avenue.  In its location, it should receive a lot of light.

Ms. Lyons passed out white hard hats and shovels, and the group stood together in the spot of the future home of SS Habitat's next family partner.  This milestone in project development was marked with both smiles and some vigorous, good humored digging.  

Later in the week, an excavator will begin the work of laying a foundation.  Plans are to finish the foundation by June 1, 2021.  After that, volunteers will be needed to help with the build.

So far, fifty people have volunteered.  "We've never had this before," said Ms. Lyons.  On another day, Ms. Lyons had remarked on the exceptional welcome Westwood residents have offered at the news of a SS Habitat house coming to the community.

There has also been a lot of corporate support for this project, notes Ms. Lyon. However, SS Habitat is still hoping for a few more donations.  At the top of the list mentioned by Ms. Lyons and Ms. Brown is a shuttle to transport volunteers to the site from a nearby parking lot.  The build site is located in a residential area with limited street parking.

SS Habitat continues to hope it will receive donations of a roofer’s services, the installation of a small driveway and siding. Plumbing services are already being donated, but SS Habitat is seeking a boiler, appliances, and shrubs for landscaping.

There are currently 2 applications that have been submitted by families who hope to partner with SS Habitat and the community to build their future home.  Applications are still being accepted with a deadline of June 17, 2021.  Ms. Lyons expects that SS Habitat will select the winning family by July.

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