After more than a decade of vacancy, the Lynn Armory is being turned into modern housing for veterans. 

This armory’s rehabilitation project originated in 2019, after Neighborhood Development Associates partnered with the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development.

A press release from LHAND mentioned how NDA and LHAND have earned federal and state historic tax credits through 17 application rounds, while also submitting many state tax credit applications.

“This has been an exciting and challenging project from the very start,” LHAND Executive Director Charles Gaeta said in the release. “The amount of work that has gone into the funding and design has been extraordinary and we will be seeing that effort pay off very soon.” 

Gaeta further said that the project has created a stronger connection with the community and that he received a lot of encouraging feedback throughout the start of the process. 

The city’s director of veterans’ services, Mike Sweeney, applauded the work being done by LHAND’s steering committee, which is made up of Lynn residents, veterans, and housing officials, on the project.

“This housing initiative coupled with the new lease being signed at the Lynn VA clinic is a product of years of hard work by everyone involved,” Sweeney said in the release. “Together, they will provide critical housing and health-care infrastructure for veterans in the community and play a significant role in our continued efforts to address veterans’ homelessness.” 

Local elected officials, such as state Sen. Brendan Crighton and state Reps. Dan Cahill, Peter Capano, and Jenny Armini, have supported and helped facilitate the project, according to the release. Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson and City Council President Jay Walsh supported the historic tax credit applications and necessary funds, the release added.

“Preserving the historic Lynn Armory is important but restoring it for the use of veterans housing is an even bigger success story for our community,“ Nicholson said in the release.