The Barnes Road, LLC housing project is proposed to have eight buildings, with 10 apartment units in the first building in blue to the left and 30 condominium townhouses in the seven remaining buildings. (Courtesy of Horizons Engineering)
Barnes Road project is returning to planners
Complying with Conway Planning Board members’ wishes at their last meeting Feb. 8, Settlers Green developer Robert Barsamian’s engineering representative Mark Lucy of Horizons Engineering Inc. of Ossipee will return to the board on Thursday with a greater vegetative buffer plan to shield Barsamian’s proposed condominium complex off Barnes Road from the North-South Road.
Barsamian’s Barnes Development LLC is undergoing continued concurrent full site-plan and 40-unit subdivision review to construct 10 residential rental apartments and 30 residential condominium townhouses with related infrastructure and create a 40-unit residential subdivision on Puddin Pond Drive, North Conway.
At the Feb. 8 meeting, board member Eliza Grant suggested a vegetative berm to shield the project from the North-South Road.
Lucy is returning with a revised proposal regarding that green space, showing a plan to replace with a mixture of trees and loam a “relic stockpiles” area left over after the former North Conway Athletic Club on the site was razed, located between the complex and the North-South Road’s western edge.
According to the plans furnished by Lucy, there would be a minimum of 40 trees planted at a rate of one tree planted per 144 square feet of area disturbed.
The discussion about a berm arose during Lucy’s presentation about what he called “relic stockpiles” within the 100-foot buffer to the North-South Road of construction debris left over from the razed North Conway Athletic Club in the 1980s and mid-’90s. Lucy said scrub brush “fire species” have grown over those piles.
The board is also scheduled to hear a conceptual review of a proposal by Barsamian to construct 10 workforce housing apartments in one building behind the Chipotle building at 1549 White Mountain Highway, North Conway. — Tom Eastman/Conway Daily Sun
Kowloon Restaurant, The Brook partner on new dining concept
Seabrook’s The Brook casino and entertainment facility has partnered with popular New England restaurant Kowloon to create an Asian dining concept, according to a recent press release announcing the collaboration.
Scheduled to open later this summer, the new restaurant will include items from Kowloon’s menu and will feature multiple dining rooms, a private event space, two bars and a lounge.
The collaboration comes after two years of planning by The Brook’s VP of Experiences Bhavishi Patel, The Brook CEO Andre Carrier and Kowloon’s corporate group. The idea was spawned when The Brook hosted two Kowloon pop-up events to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which sold out to a sizeable crowd.
“Everyone who has grown up in this part of New England has their Kowloon memories, it’s an iconic restaurant,” said Carrier in the press release. “It is an absolute privilege to be part of this project that will add a new chapter to the Kowloon legacy and create a place where many more wonderful memories will be made.”
In the lead-up to its opening day, The Brook will be offering “sneak peeks” into the new venue’s amenities, décor and menu, but the final name of the space won’t be shared until its grand opening.
The Seacoast casino and entertainment organization is actively hiring team members for the new restaurant including servers, bartenders and kitchen staff. Those interested are directed to apply at livefreeandplay.com/careers.
Seacoast condo sales lead modest spring real estate market
The Seacoast Board of REALTORS recently shared data surrounding sales of single-family condominiums amongst the struggling sales of single-family homes.
Using a sample of 13 Seacoast towns — Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, North Hampton, Newmarket, Portsmouth, Rye, Seabrook and Stratham — the data showed that condo sales increased, but not much more than March closings last year. There were 44 transactions sold at a median price of $592,500, up 3.9% from 2023.
For the year, condo sales were up 22.4%, and the three-month median sale price rose 9.1% to $600,000.
Single-family homes in the market still show signs of struggle, with sales falling to an all-time March low of 37 transactions. The monthly median price increased 11.9% to $795,000, the highest since November.
For the first three months of 2024, single-family sales showed a 17.3% change, but the median sale price jumped to $769,900, a 19.5% increase.
“Our market continues to be constrained by lack of single-family inventory and stubbornly high mortgage interest rates,” said Lynn Lagasse, president of the Seacoast Board of Realtors, in the release. “Interest in Seacoast real estate remains as strong as ever and multiple offer scenarios are abundant.”
The biggest single-family home sale was for 3 Park Circle in North Hampton, a 5,733-square-foot, five-bedroom home with a swimming pool that sold for $2.9 million.
Of the condo transactions included a Ducks Head unit that sold for $3.5 million — one of the top three largest condo sales in New Castle.
Request for proposals for engineering services
The Winchester Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has been awarded a Federal Congressional Directed Funding (CDS) FY 2023 HUD Community Planning and Development $800,000 grant to continue the local nonprofit community efforts to successfully build out PHASE II Infrastructure Project at the Stone Mountain Business Park located in Winchester, NH.
The Phase II project includes the extension and installation of infrastructure (public road, Opportunity Drive, utilities, drainage, 3-Phase power, communications, etc.) a distance of roughly 500 feet or more, including an approved paved turnaround for vehicles.
WEDC is interested in obtaining proposals for an independent contractor for project engineering services, which include preparing preliminary and final plans and specifications, permitting, construction bidding, procurement and cost oversight, construction performance, inspections, and other related duties in accordance with project authorized scope of work, CDS grant requirements and Federal and HUD standard terms and conditions for construction projects.
Copies of the full RFP are available on the Town of Winchester website at winchester-nh.gov.
The selected engineering firm will report to the WEDC nonprofit executive director, board chair, project grant administrator and board of directors.
Experience with federal construction programs is a must; ideal candidate/firm will have federal grant/loan experience demonstrating attention to detail and good communication and team working skills.
The selection process will include review of qualifications (previous experience, references, time availability) and fee. The decision will be made by a selection panel, made up of board members and a representative of the town. It is anticipated that the work will begin immediately and last about 18 months, with much of the work in front-end coordination and back-end reporting.
Proposals need not be lengthy, but at a minimum should include pertinent qualifications; designated personnel (including personal qualifications); references; minimum time per week availability; fee and billing rates/policy.
Submit written proposals (five copies) in a sealed envelope clearly marked “PHASE II Proposal – Stone Mountain Business Park Infrastructure” addressed to: Dr. Mark Tigan c/o Town Administrator, Town of Winchester, 1 Richmond Road, Winchester, NH 03470.
All proposals must be received by mail, USPS or hand delivered by 4 p.m. on April 30. WEDC reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and/or amend scope as may be necessary to benefit the project.
Another piece of Chinese owned property in Nashua has come to the public’s attention — the former Daniel Webster College property, encompassing some 52 acres. Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess encouraged the Board of Aldermen on Sept. 9 to pass a resolution giving him the authority to seek state and/or federal funds to purchase the property, currently owned by Xinhua Education Consulting Services Corp.
The nonprofit and ReVision Energy expand renewable energy portfolio with new solar panels across five properties in the Monadnock Region
While home prices might be moderating in other parts of the country, the median price of a single-family house in New Hampshire rose to $550,000 in August, the second highest price point this current year. That price is just $3,000 more than the $547,000 recorded in July, but it is $47,500 more than January’s $502,500. The highest median price in 2025 was $569,450, recorded in June and the most ever recorded in the state.
ApprenticeshipNH has partnered with Associated Builders and Contractors of New Hampshire/Vermont and Elm Grove Companies to launch New Hampshire’s first registered apprenticeship program (RAP) for maintenance technicians
Explore how post-pandemic growth, affordability challenges, and evolving housing trends are transforming the Queen City’s future.
The Lake Estate on Winnisquam sees diamonds and stars in its future
Amid a statewide housing shortage, a religious nonprofit recently opened applications for more than 60 new workforce housing apartments in Peterborough.
Concord considers $535K rail purchase to extend Greenway Trail, raising questions for Scenic Railriders
Relax & Co., which provided an array of services to property owners in the Lake Sunapee area, had already been forced to lay off workers earlier this month.
