People and Property: Real Estate and Construction News From Around NH

Rebecca Mitchell receives Statewide Preservation Award

The Preservation Alliance has honored Rebecca Mitchell for outstanding leadership in preservation planning, advocacy, and education. As a long-time member of the Stratham Heritage Commission, Mitchell has set a new standard for local advocacy and engagement, according to the Preservation Alliance. “She is both visionary and practical, savvy about communicating effectively, and incredibly energetic,” said Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the N.H. Preservation Alliance.

During her tenure, the Commission helped preserve and protect some of the town’s most vulnerable historic buildings, raise awareness, increase appreciation and celebrate the community’s rich heritage.  Goodman noted that Mitchell and her colleagues not only used existing historic preservation tools, but also are at the forefront of the preservation planning movement in their use of preservation easements and overlay districts, like the land use control designed to protect agricultural character while balancing business and residential needs on Portsmouth Avenue/Route 33 recently adopted by the town.

At a local presentation last month that followed a statewide announcement event, Senator Debra Altschiller presented a New Hampshire Senate Resolution in recognition of Mitchell’s service, and colleagues offered remarks. Stratham Selectboard Chairman Mike Houghton emphasized Mitchell’s wisdom; and Nathan Merrill, chair of the Stratham Heritage Commission spoke of her effective collaborations with other land use planning committees and town staff.  He noted that the Commission’s many recent accomplishments “would not have happened without Becky’s efforts to lead the Heritage Commission to achievable goals under a well-defined mission, and without her success in building the Commission’s reputation in the broader community.”

Mitchell credited her many teachers and supportive select board members in her comments and emphasized that heritage commissions are more than just guardians of history. “Heritage commissions offer opportunities for positive change,” she said. People that Mitchell has learned from and mentored from other seacoast communities also attended to celebrate her work.

This award is part of an annual Preservation Alliance program begun in 1989 that recognizes outstanding leaders, rehabilitation and restoration projects and educational initiatives around the state.

Torrington Properties announces new director of property operations and asset management

Matthew Donaghey 

Torrington Properties, a real estate investment firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusett, with offices in New Hampshire, has hired Matthew Donaghey as the company’s new director of property operations and asset management. Donaghey officially joined the company on May 22.

“We are thrilled to have Matt join the Torrington team as director of property operations and asset management,” Torrington Chief Operating Officer, Matt Morgan said. “He will play a critical role in providing best in class residential, retail and commercial experiences for our tenants.”

With more than 15 years of experience, Donaghey most recently worked as vice president and director of operations for Hobbs Brook Real Estate (HBRE), where he managed a 6-million-square-foot property portfolio. Donaghey began his career with the real estate investment team at Fidelity Investments.

“I am looking forward supporting Torrington’s dynamic growth strategy with exceptional property and asset management performance,” Matt Donaghey said. “Torrington has built a strong reputation as an industry leader in development, investment and management of assets across the Northeast. I will leverage my experience and expertise to benefit the next stages of the company’s success.”

Donaghey is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a graduate of Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He lives in Woburn, Massachusetts with his wife, son and daughter. Donaghey is also a current member and past president of the Board of Directors for the Woburn Boys & Girls Club.

1 Main St. and 8 Auburn St. in Nashua have been sold

Prolman Realty, Inc. announced the sale of of two investment properties located at 1 Main Street and 8 Auburn Street on behalf of One Main Street Professional Building, LLC.

1 Main Street, Nashua

8 Auburn Street, Nashua

For the Main Street sale, Mark Prolman, Prolman Realty, Inc. represented the seller, One Main Street Professional Building, LLC and Scott Walker, Premiere Properties, represented the buyer, Bangor Savings Bank. The property located consists of an 8,204 square foot office building situated on 0.65 acres. The building is NNN leased to LifeStance Health. According to the Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds, the selling price was $1,175,000.

For the Auburn Street sale, Prolman Realty, Inc. represented the seller, One Main Street Professional Building, LLC, and The Adams Home Team represented the buyer. The property consists of 2,580 square feet situated on 0.18 acres. The building is NNN leased to LifeStance Health. According to the Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds, the selling price was $469,000.

Exxon station on East Main Street in Avon among 21 Connecticut gas stations up for sale

Exxon, one of the Northeast’s biggest gasoline distributors, is selling 21 gas stations across Connecticut this summer. Global Partners LP is putting stations in Avon, Rocky Hill, South Windsor, Somers and 14 other towns on the auction block this month.

Customers know the stations largely by their gas brands, which include Mobil, Sunoco, Exxon, Citgo and Shell. Those brands are likely to remain, and consumers aren’t likely to see large-scale changes in the convenience mart side of the business, either, according to industry experts.

“This is definitely an opportunity for owners of one or two stations to become three- to five-store chains,” said David Chu, vice president of the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, a trade organization representing Connecticut’s gas station industry.

Global’s sale accounts for just 21 of the state’s roughly 1,400 gas stations, ranging from Fairfield County and the Northwest Corner to as far east as Norwich. That means existing one-, two- and three-station businesses could add one or two nearby outlets that would be practical to manage.

First-time buyers will also have a chance to get into the business, said Evan Gladstone, executive managing director for NRC Realty & Capital Advisors LLC, the company that is managing the auction for Global.

“We’re offering buyers one, some or all of the stations. We sell to the highest qualified buyers whether they’re getting all 21 or some lesser amount,” Gladstone said. “Everybody is going to get a chance.”

Massachusetts-based Global Partners this week announced that NRC will manage the sale of 54 of its gas stations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Connecticut has by far the biggest inventory in the sale. There are 11 other stations in New York, 10 in Vermont, five in Massachusetts, three in New Hampshire, two in Rhode Island and one each in Maryland and Virginia.

Many of the stations have up to 4 acres of land, and the buildings themselves range from kiosks to 6,600 square feet. In some cases the land is owned by Global, in others the auction winners will take over leases from a separate owner.

The 21 Connecticut stations up for sale are in Avon, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cornwall, Danbury, Derby, East Haven, Mansfield, Milford, Morris, New Haven, Norwich, Orange, Rocky Hill, Somers, South Windsor, Thomaston and Westport. Details are at nrc.com/2302/properties/site_list.

New Peabody Place welcomes new residents after three-year reconstruction

The leadership and Board of Managers of Peabody Place vision for the transformation of Peabody Place, rich with an 80-year history of care for seniors in a residential setting, is now reality. It took three years of carefully planned two-phase construction of a brand-new building to allow residents in the original building to remain at Peabody and move into phase one while phase two was built. The second phase opened its doors to members of the community at a celebratory reception on June 29 and is now fully open for those seeking independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Peabody Place is pet-friendly and features well-appointed apartments with private bathrooms, oversized windows and views of the Winnipesauke River. Amenities include common space for gathering on all floors, a 24-hour emergency response system, memory care services, personal transportation services, an exercise and wellness room, and easy access to downtown Franklin.

The newly completed second phase includes amenities that will serve all residents. The first floor features a parlor with views of Winnipesaukee River and Odell Park, a coffee shop/gift shop, library, hairdresser/barber, media room, and dining room with a private dining space. The second and third floors include 16 independent living apartments featuring  higher-end amenities.

Peabody Place

The new 63,632-square-foot Peabody Place is more than double its original capacity and includes 45 assisted living apartments, 13 memory care apartments and 16 independent living apartments. Funding totaling $26 million was approved through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in November 2020.

The new building was designed by EGA Architects of Newburyport, Mass., construction and engineering services were provided by Engelberth Construction and Nobis Engineering both of Concord, NH.  Advisory work was provided by New Hampshire based Roxie Severance and Jon Freeman as consultants and Marc Jobin, Construction Consultant. This project was supported by the city of Franklin along with the State of New Hampshire’s Health and Human Services, Environmental Services and Health and Education Facilities Bond Authority.

Portsmouth affordable home and infrastructure project complete

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held June 20 to reveal five new affordable homes, along with site and infrastructure improvements, at Woodbury Cooperative, a resident-owned manufactured-home park near downtown Portsmouth. Homes will go on the market for under $160,000 each.

The site improvements and necessary infrastructure upgrades were funded through a collaboration of the Community Loan Fund, the City of Portsmouth Community Development Block Grant Program, HUD, NH Housing Finance Authority, InvestNH Demolition Grant Program, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s congressionally directed spending. More than $1.5 million was raised for the project that also included the purchase and placement of five new affordable homes.

The residents of Woodbury Cooperative purchased their park in 2017, permanently protecting their homes from being sold or demolished. This project adds to the park’s sustainability and livability. It also lowers the residents’ lot rents and creates five new affordable homeownership opportunities in the city. The one-and two-bedroom homes will each be sold for under $160,000.