People and Property: Real Estate and Construction News From Around NH

Molly Donovan

Donovan named CDFA’s economic development director

Molly Donovan has joined the staff of the Community Development Finance Authority as director of economic development, succeeding Kevin Peterson, who has served in the economic development job since 2018.

Donovan previously worked as for 12 years as associate extension educator and state specialist at the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. She oversaw statewide programs that focused on such issues as business retention, small business and community resiliency, main street revitalization and community engagement.

Resilient Buildings a Housing Champion

Resilient Buildings Group of Concord has been named Lakes Region Community Developers’ first Housing Champion of 2023. The organization launched the program this year and will spotlight each month a different company committed to creating new affordable housing opportunities in the Lakes Region.

Sanborn Head to move headquarters to Bedford

Sanborn Head, long based in Concord, NH, will be consolidating its office in Concord as well as its office in Westford, Mass., at a new location at 6 Bedford Farms in Bedford this spring. The engineering firm said its Boston office will now serve as its flagship Massachusetts location.

Danielle Ruffo

Rufo named Keene Housing Kids Collaborative chair

The Keene Housing Kids Collaborative has elected Danielle Ruffo, assistant vice president, community engagement and marketing at Savings Bank of Walpole, as its board chair for 2023. She succeeds Erika Greenwald, who served as board chair from 2021 to 2022. Keene Housing Kids Collaborative serves kids who live in housing owned or managed by the Keene Housing Authority.

Portsmouth airport at Pease gets $7M FAA grant for upgrades to arrivals and baggage areas

The Portsmouth International Airport at Pease has received a $7 million federal grant to help pay for the expansion and upgrade of its Arrivals Hall and baggage claims area.

The project will add about 5,200 square feet to the arrivals and baggage area as the Pease Development Authority continues to work to expand and upgrade its terminal at the former Pease air Force Base.

Nearly $5 million available for wetland and stream restoration

The NH Department of Environmental Services’ Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund is accepting grant award pre-proposals for wetland and stream restoration projects. Nearly $5 million in funds are available to restore and enhance aquatic resources in the Merrimack, Pemigewasset-Winnipesaukee, Salmon Falls-Piscataqua and Upper Connecticut watershed service areas.

Pre-proposals are due May 31. Each applicant will receive feedback in June upon review. Full applications for recommended projects will be due Aug. 31.

Lebanon affordable housing project awarded funding

Mascoma Bank and its community development lending group are providing $1.95 million of permanent funding for the newly constructed Heater Landing Apartments in Lebanon. Additional permanent funding was provided by Evernorth’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity fund, Housing New England Fund III.

Heater Landing has 44 units of perpetually affordable housing. The Lebanon Housing Authority was developer. Construction financing was provided by New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority.