Northern Forest Center Program Manager Amy Scott, center, Bethel Town Manager Natalie Andrews, left, and Bethel Selectboard member Meryl Kelly, right talk in the entrance of the Gehring House which the center is turning into middle income hosing. Rose Lincoln

A kitchen in the Northern Forest Center property, formerly the Gehring House. Rose Lincoln

Northern Forest Center Program Manager Amy Scott in the Gehring House. Rose Lincoln

Northern Forest Center Program Manager Amy Scott, center, took Bethel Town Manager Natalie Andrews, right, and Bethel Selectboard member Meryl Kelly, left, around the Gehring House which the center is turning into middle income housing. Rose Lincoln

Northern Forest Center’s Gehring House on Broad Street . Rose Lincoln

BETHEL — Northern Forest Center Program Manager Amy Scott recently gave Bethel Town Manager Natalie Andrews and Bethel Selectboard member Meryl Kelly a tour around the Gehring House, located in Bethel’s historic district. The center  purchased the 10-acre property on Broad Street on December 15, 2022 to turn it into middle income housing.

The RFP’s, or requests for proposals, were due in March and the center expects to decide on the final plan in April. Whoever they hire to design the existing building is also required to do a master conceptual plan for the entire project which will include more housing outside the historic district on the acreage behind the house.

Because of the historic restoration, they will likely not make the existing building American Disability Act compliant. “We will probably not have to change the height of the railing on the stairs [for instance] even though it doesn’t comply with code. Because it is historic they will probably want us to keep it and then get an exemption from the code. Although it is all theoretical at this point. I can’t give final answers until we have our design and take it to the town,” said Scott.

Initially they will rent the units (likely eight maximum); the long view plan is to sell units to the renters. The center will build in covenants to maintain the affordability level (and keep away investors who want to turn the units into vacation rentals). “But that will all be after several years. We have impact investors who we will need to pay back after five, seven and nine years. We wouldn’t sell them all at once,” said Scott.

“It’s just so the developers get their return on their investment?” asked Kelly.

“Correct. It’s very low return. These are unsecured loans from people who believe in the mission of the project,” said Scott.

Besides impact investment funds, the center will use tax credits, and private gifts and grants.

“In the  previous projects where we have begun to pay the investors back, all of them are reinvesting. They are not in it for the return. They are in it to keep their money circulating as opposed to a donation that: you take it, you spend it and it’s gone. This is a way to keep perpetuating,” said Scott.

They develop their models based on what a resident with an average salary in that area could afford, said Scott.

She said once they have a plan they would like to share it with the town. “We’re excited to bring it back to life,” she said.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things [about the project] and I hear a lot of bad things, most of the time,” said Kelly.

This will be the Center’s fifth housing redevelopment project, following successful initiatives in Millinocket and Lancaster, NH;  they also recently launched projects in Tupper Lake, NY and St. Johnsbury, VT. They have four other potential projects coming along.