**POAH Secures $23.5M in Financing for East Cambridge Church Conversion into Affordable Housing**
Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) has secured $23.5 million in financing from Rockland Trust and Citizens Bank to transform a 150-year-old, underutilized church at 49 Sixth Street in East Cambridge, Massachusetts into affordable housing. The redevelopment will result in the creation of 46 family-sized affordable apartments.
Kelly Nguyen, Vice President and Commercial Banker at Rockland Trust, shared her long-standing collaboration with POAH on similar initiatives. “These revitalization efforts offer innovative solutions for increasing housing availability in desirable neighborhoods while preserving local architectural history,” Nguyen said.
The project will involve the adaptive reuse of the church’s associated structures, including the former rectory, school, and convent. POAH’s development plan focuses on repurposing these historic buildings with a strong emphasis on restoring and preserving their architectural integrity. The result will be high-quality, energy-efficient homes designed to remain affordable over time.
Key historic details of both the interiors and exteriors will be preserved in the final design, ensuring the development honors the architectural character of the original structures while addressing pressing housing needs in the community.
