Pennrose signs lease on Littleton Drive housing project

Mar 9, 2023

After years of planning, Pennrose has a 99-year lease on Littleton Drive, allowing the development company to begin construction on over 90 units of affordable housing for families and senior citizens.

Town officials signed documents closing the lease during the Wareham Redevelopment Authority meeting on Thursday, March 9. 

The land is currently being surveyed before construction begins.

“You’re really going to start seeing some activity this week and in the next couple of weeks,” said Pennrose Regional Vice President Charlie Adams.

Pennrose has made a 50-year commitment to manage the property, but the Redevelopment Authority still owns the land, Director of Planning and Community Development Ken Buckland said. 

Buckland recalled that when he first saw the parcel of town-owned land, located in the Swift Beach neighborhood, he thought to himself: “There’s a real opportunity to make something happen here.” 

The town then transferred ownership of the land to the Redevelopment Authority.

During the signing ceremony, members of the Redevelopment Authority lavished praise on Adams and Pennrose for working with the community. 

“It’s the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of good people,” said Redevelopment Authority Chair Dan Butler.

Adams responded in kind, noting that affordable housing for both families and senior citizens is a rare feat in Massachusetts. 

“This is your dream and you started it many years ago,” he told the Redevelopment Authority. “Hats off to Wareham for being able to pull this off.”

Adams assured the Redevelopment Authority that the development’s clubhouse, playground, walking trails and other amenities would be open to all Wareham residents.

“This is not a gated community,” he said. 

State Senator Marc Pacheco attended virtually to congratulate the town.

“We need to tackle this crisis of affordable housing in Massachusetts,” he said, “and Wareham is showing us how to do that.”