Unique land swap fulfills housing, preservation goals
By Teri Borseti, Globe Correspondent, 6/2/2001
BURLINGTON - The Board of Selectmen knew the town needed affordable housing for its senior citizens.
Recent US Census figures had shown that 23 percent of the 23,637 population is over the age of 55, and with just 105 units of senior housing in town, officials knew they had to do something.
They didn't expect in the process to end up in a complex, but successful, three-way land swap.
''It's been a very complicated transaction that could have been a nasty battle. In the end, all parties involved achieved their objectives,'' said Ray Gianino, a selectman.
Those involved in the swap were the town, the Gutierrez Co. of Burlington, Ruping Builders Inc. of Billerica and Burlington SMOC (Southern Middlesex Opportunity Council), a nonprofit housing advocacy group.
The four parties have met regularly for months to decide how to make the best possible use of three parcels of undeveloped land.
About two years ago, the Board of Selectmen began its search for land on which to build senior citizens' housing.
A decision was made to swap a 14-acre commercially zoned parcel of town land (on Wheeler Road), for a 32-acre parcel of land (on Mountain Road) owned by the Gutierrez Co.
However, when Gary Ruping, president of Ruping Builders, got a comprehensive permit to build from 75 to 105 units of housing on six acres of land near the town common, the plot thickened.
Selectman Al Fay said, ''It was a no-brainer. By swapping the land around, everyone would be able to make the best use of the land.
''Few wanted to see that old farm land in the center turned into 105 apartments, and it didn't make sense to put all the senior housing out on Mountain Road.
''In the end, all parties came away with most of what they wanted,'' he said.
Over the next three to five years, Ruping Builders will use a section of the land that originally belonged to the Gutierrez Co. to build a 180-unit complex of one- and two-bedroom, garden-style apartments that will rent for $1,800 to $2,200 per month.
Of those units, 36 will be reserved as affordable housing for Burlington residents who are 55 and older.
To qualify for the units, which will rent for $700 to $1,000, tenants may earn no more than 80 percent of median income of $42,000.
Fay said the seniors' units will be identical to market-value units and residents will have access to all complex amenities, including a swimming pool and tennis courts.
A 6.41-acre parcel on the site will be reserved as open space, with hiking trails.
On land that originally belonged to the town, the Gutierrez Co. will build a 170,000-square-foot office building.
The company plans to build a second building on the site at a later date.
In the center of town, the 300-year-old Grandview Farm house, which sits on what might have been a densely developed six acres, will be renovated and used as municipal space.
SMOC will construct 48 additional units of housing, for people 55 and older, behind the farm house.
Joseph Gutierrez, vice president of the Gutierrez Co., said: ''The town of Burlington took the initiative to bring the parties together to make the best use of the available land.
''I've never been involved in anything like this before. It's an excellent example of several organizations working together for the common good,'' he said.
The deal is as unique as it is perplexing.
Gianino said, ''We didn't have a prototype to work with, but because it worked out so well, other towns may find they can do similar things with their available land.''
State Representative Charles Murphy, a Burlington Democrat, said the land swap touched upon many issues.
''I've never seen anything like this. It involves the important issues of affordable housing and historical preservation.
''But what makes it so unique is that there was no state involvement at all, just a municipality working with private developers,'' he said.
''Other towns would be crazy not to try something like this. In this case, Burlington was able to provide affordable housing for seniors who might otherwise have been priced out of town,'' he said.
Arlene DiRocco, chairwoman of Burlington Senior Housing and the Council On Aging, said: ''The main thing is that a portion of the housing in this project is reserved for Burlington's senior residents. Some want to sell their big houses and stay in town but have no place to move to.''
The land swap was complicated for the group, so they knew it would be difficult to explain to Burlington residents.
One of the first things the group did was form the Burlington Land Swap Advisory Board.
It held more than 30 meetings with senior citizens neighborhood groups, and abutters. An interactive Web site was set up to collect input from residents.
Finally, at the town meeting on May 16, voters approved the land swap.
''We've achieved the objective of the Community Preservation Act by creating affordable housing in perpetuity for Burlington residents at no cost to the town, preserving open space, and preserving the Grandview Farm house, an important piece of the town's history,'' Fay said.
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