Ribbon Cutting Set For New Melrose Radio Factory Lofts Development

MELROSE, MA — Melrose city and business leaders will gather this week to mark the opening of the 141-unit Radio Factory Lofts development on Washington Street.

Mayor Paul Brodeur and the Melrose Chamber of Commerce will host the ribbon cutting and celebration from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday at The Radio Factory Lofts building at 99 Washington Street.

"We're excited," Brodeur told Patch on Monday. "It looks like it has been very well done."

Developers first pitched plans for the Radio Factory Lofts back in 2019, proposing to build on what was once the home of Marty’s Furniture in Melrose.

Long before Marty’s, the building housed the Boston Rubber Shoe Company Factory No. 2 toward the end of the 1800s and into the early 1900s.

Multiple elected officials raised concerns about new plans for the site in early 2020, calling for, among other things, more benefits for residents in the Washington Street area.

Developers continued to navigate Melrose’s permitting process following those concerns, earning approval from the city's Planning Board in March of 2020 in part after making a series of changes to their plans.

Updated plans included new sustainability measures and changes to outdoor landscaped space. Developers also included first-floor retail and gallery elements alongside their mix of one bedroom, two bedroom and studio layouts.

More than two years later, with construction now complete, Brodeur thanked area residents for their patience as the construction process moved forward.

"I'm excited to see them wrap it up and bring it to market for sure," Brodeur said of the developers.

The retail space at the Radio Factory Lofts had not been leased as of Monday morning, according to Business Manager Devyn Richardson.

Radio Factory Lofts is currently leasing for its market rate residential units.

There will also be a lottery on Aug. 24 for nineteen total units classified as affordable. Households at or below 80% of the area median income are eligible to apply through the lottery, translating to a maximum annual income limit for eligibility of $78,300 for one person, $89,500 for two-person households $100,700 for three-person households and $111,850 for four-person households.

Applications are due on Aug. 16.