By Sara Withee
(Oct. 15, 2026) – With blue skies overhead, MassDevelopment celebrated the creation of 46 mixed-income apartments, with a truss signing ceremony at the Emerson Green Residences on Devens.
About two dozen professionals came out on Thursday morning, from MassDevelopment, Elite Home Builders, Florence Bank, the Devens Enterprise Commission, local legislators and community representatives.
Navjeet Bal, MassDevelopment President and CEO, led the remarks and said since Governor Maura Healey signed the Mass Leads Act and removed the housing cap, MassDevelopment has been working to develop land already zoned for housing on Devens.
In the 1990s, the Fort Devens military base closed and the cap was established, allowing for a maximum of 282 housing units to be built on Devens. Now known as the Devens Regional Enterprise Zone, this covers 4,400 acres across the historic boundaries of the towns of Harvard, Shirley and Ayer.
Since the Mass Leads Act was signed into law, MassDevelopment has moved ahead and selected builders to develop housing on Adams Circle. It is also working with the towns of Harvard, Ayer and Shirley to rezone the Technology and Innovation District through the Super Town Meeting process next Spring.
Devens is home to nearly 100 businesses and organizations and over 7,600 workers in biopharma, clean tech, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. While the workforce grows, Devens also faces a shortage in housing like many other communities, Bal said. She shared data from the Executive Office of Livable Communities, showing 22 regional communities will need an estimated 6,300 homes over the next decade.
“Today is really part of continuing that momentum and we’re excited to be here,” she said.
About The Emerson Green Residences
The group signed the truss and this was placed on the top of the first-story framing. When complete, the new Emerson Green Residences building at 77 Grant Road will be three stories and include 46 new mixed-income apartments and common-area amenities across 56,000 square feet. This is another phase of the Emerson Green neighborhood, which already includes 35 single-family homes, 20 duplexes and three townhomes, according to a MassDevelopment announcement.
Of these, 23 units will be permanently income-restricted. The Harvard Municipal Affordable Housing Trust has approved a $1 million investment to deepen the affordability of 12 units. This land lies within the historical Harvard boundary.
MassDevelopment announced the sale of the property at 77 Grant Road this summer.
Project financing includes a $6.5 million loan from Florence Bank for the acquisition and construction costs, a $4 million loan from MassDevelopment for construction costs and $1 million from the Harvard Municipal Affordable Housing Trust.
“We’re really happy and thankful to be here,” said Cohen Babcock, Vice President of Development, Elite Home Builders LLC. “We look forward to completing the project so everyone involved can look back and be proud.”
Harvard Town Administrator Dawn Dunbar said the community was proud to support this project through the Harvard Municipal Affordable Housing Trust.
“This project is a wonderful example of what we can accomplish when communities, public agencies and private partners work together toward a shared goal,” Dunbar said.
The new apartments will feature energy-efficient construction, new parking, landscaping, grading and utilities. A sidewalk along part of Grant Road will also be completed.
Sen. Jamie Eldridge, who represents Ayer and Harvard as part of his district, said the financing was a challenge with this project and thanked both Florence Bank and MassDevelopment, among others in his comments.
He reflected that the construction behind him was the final housing permitted under the original cap established in 1996. He said he and two other legislators who attended – Sen. John Cronin and Rep. Danillo Sena – had worked to support the passage of the Mass Leads Act to eliminate that cap.
“It’s really exciting to finally see the last phase of housing allowed under that law,” he said.
Rep. Danillo Sena added, “I’m proud to see the work the towns are doing. I’m really honored to be a representative in this area.”
Sen. John Cronin, who represents Shirley as part of his district, said it’s a challenging time.
“It is a really challenging time to make progress on our housing crisis,” Cronin said. “Ultimately what this project represents is an opportunity for 46 households to be able to live here in North Central Massachusetts. That’s something I’m very proud of and I hope all of you are very proud of.”
He continued, “It does not happen by accident. There really is a team of teams here at Devens from the lenders, to the builders, to the legislative delegation… and the entire team at MassDevelopment that is moving the region forward.”