Winslow School eyed for elderly housing-September 3, 1980

Following the closure of school administrative offices at the Winslow School, the Norwood Housing Authority is actively setting its sights on converting the historic four-acre property at the corner of Chapel Street and Winslow Avenue into much-needed housing for the elderly.

During a unanimous vote last night, the housing authority agreed to submit a formal development proposal to the Board of Selectmen ahead of the September 12 filing deadline. Executive Director Kevin Maguire projected that the former school building could accommodate approximately 25 apartments, while an additional 75 units could potentially be constructed on the surrounding grounds, mirroring the successful layout of the Frank L. Walsh Housing for the Elderly project at the former Shattuck School on Fulton Street.

Interest in senior housing remains exceptionally high across Norwood, driven by roughly 400 active applicants on the municipal waiting list, even after accounting for the 250 individuals who applied for the 72 newly converted units at the Shattuck School complex. Appraised values for the Winslow Street property varied widely depending on future use—ranging from $200,000 for single-family homes and $360,000 for professional offices, up to $500,000 for multi-family development. However, as a state-backed agency acquiring public land, the housing authority expects to purchase the site at a heavily discounted rate comparable to the $72,000 ($1,000 per anticipated apartment) paid for the Shattuck School parcel.

Meanwhile, preparations are entering their final stages at the Shattuck School housing complex, where initial tenant occupancy is slated for September 15 following an inspection tour by authority members this Sunday. While the 17 apartments housed directly within the historic school building require additional finishing work, the 55 newly constructed apartments across five separate grounds buildings are nearing completion. John Adelmann cautioned that units would not open for occupancy until construction is verified as 100% complete, suggesting an official opening closer to October 1.

Selected on a first-come, first-served basis from a pool of 250 applicants, approximately 90 percent of the incoming tenants are established Norwood residents or have close family ties in town. The authority is actively seeking specialized state funding to sandblast the weathered brick exterior of the Shattuck building, refinish an authentic original stair railing, and supply custom drapes for the exceptionally large classrooms windows. “We left the big old school windows in and we feel it would be a hardship if the tenants had to provide all those drapes,” Maguire explained. Authority member Phyllis McDonough humorously volunteered to lead the historic preservation efforts, noting that she brought paint stripper to inspect the bannister and joked, “When I am through with the bannister, I will start on the sandblasting and the drapes.” In routine administrative business, the board unanimously approved a $710,000 operating budget for the fiscal year running from October 1, 1980, to September 30, 1981, representing a standard six percent increase adhering strictly to state guidelines.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger