The Waterhouse will bring 116 mixed-income apartments to the New England Homes for the Deaf campus, with specialized features designed for Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing seniors.
DANVERS, Mass.— WinnDevelopment has secured $48 million in financing to develop The Waterhouse, a new mixed-income residential community featuring 116 apartments for Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing seniors on the campus of New England Homes for the Deaf (NEHD) in Danvers.
The financing closed on October 20, following six years of planning, design and permitting work by WinnDevelopment and NEHD, which has served the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community for 125 years. Construction is underway, with completion expected in spring 2028.
The three-story development will encompass 136,970 square feet and is designed to support independent living through accessible apartments, thoughtfully planned common areas and specialized safety features. Its design will address the communication, mobility and orientation needs of older adults with hearing and vision disabilities, while also accommodating the challenges that can accompany aging.
Building features will include wide, gently curved corridors and open sightlines to facilitate visual communication and awareness. Continuous hallway handrails, step-free entrances, power-operated doors, tactile flooring transitions and distinct elevator-lobby finishes will help residents navigate the property. Apartments will also have enhanced life-safety systems, including visual alerts, strobe lights and bed-shaker devices.
WinnDevelopment President Adam Stein described the project as a first-of-its-kind development for the company, emphasizing its partnership with an organization whose mission aligns with its commitment to creating lasting community impact.
NEHD CEO and Executive Director Daniel Burns said the organization had considered several possibilities for developing unused land on its Danvers campus, but the partnership with WinnDevelopment offered an opportunity that closely matched its mission. The project is expected to strengthen NEHD’s long-term future while expanding housing options for the Deaf and Deafblind community.
The development will include 79 one-bedroom apartments, 21 two-bedroom units and 16 studios. Of the total 116 homes, 72 will be designated for adults aged 55 and older earning no more than 60% of the area median income (AMI). Another 21 apartments will be deeply affordable for households earning at or below 30% of AMI, while 23 units will have rent restrictions for households earning up to 165% of AMI.
A combination of public and private financing partners supported the project. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities awarded state and federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and provided funding through the Housing Stabilization Fund and Non-Federal Investment Trust. In partnership with the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, the state also contributed resources through its Community-Based Housing program and Facilities Consolidation Fund.
MassHousing provided a tax-exempt bridge loan, a first mortgage and an award from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The Town of Danvers contributed funding through its Affordable Housing Trust, while Bank of America purchased the project’s state and federal tax credits and provided the construction loan.
State Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Juana Matias said the development reflects the importance of ensuring that affordable housing meets the needs of people with different abilities. Danvers Town Manager Jill Cahill also highlighted the project’s contribution to local affordable housing goals and its potential to serve older residents and individuals with hearing and vision disabilities.
Beyond accessibility and affordability, The Waterhouse will incorporate energy-efficient construction standards. The community is being designed to meet Passive House standards, which emphasize significantly reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling.
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources awarded the project a $1.74 million grant to support all-electric heating and hot water systems, advanced building controls, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and provisions for renewable energy. These measures are intended to advance the state’s building decarbonization objectives while reducing the property’s long-term energy demands.
Robinson+Cole served as legal counsel for the financial closing. WinnDevelopment Vice President Steve Senna and Assistant Project Director Brendan Julian will oversee the development. Beverly-based Windover Construction is the general contractor, with architectural services provided by CUBE 3 and civil engineering by Weston & Sampson, Inc., of Reading, Massachusetts.
