Mark Development, the company building the now-paused massive mixed-use project at the Riverside Station on Grove Street and I-95 in Newton Lower Falls, is exploring the possibility of repurposing the former Hotel Indigo on the site into a temporary shelter for homeless families. The hotel and restaurant were closed and gutted in the fall of 2021 and await demolition as an early step in the Riverside project. Since Mark Development paused the project because of rising costs, the building has remained standing and unused.
According to Robert Korff, founding partner of Mark Development, the State approached his company about the possibility of developing a temporary shelter. “It was not on our radar,” he said, but “we are considering it and want to make it work. It’s the right thing to do.” He noted that the State has been “a good partner” in the Riverside project.
At the March 30 Riverside Liaison Committee meeting, Mark Development Principal and spokesperson Damian Chaviano updated the status of discussions with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) on use of the former 192-room Hotel Indigo as a temporary family shelter to accommodate 64 families. DHCD has identified a third-party agency that would be responsible for operating the shelter and is working to reach agreement with that entity.
Once the partner agency is finalized, other issues to resolve will include addressing any impact on local schools and non-school related financial impacts. Ultimately, DHCD and Mark Development will share full plans and any measures to address these issues with the City for its feedback.
The Riverside Liaison Committee is scheduled to meet on April 25.
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