EconoLodge set to become affordable housing development by 2026
The EconoLodge, a now-closed hotel off Route 9 in Hadley, is undergoing the process of being converted into affordable housing.
The hotel, which previously had 63 conventional standard rooms with double occupancy, will be turned into 51 apartments, with a mix of studios and single-bedroom spaces.
The project is led by Valley Community Development (Valley). The process began in 2023, but there were hurdles with the zoning approval process due to the EconoLodge being in a zone that is only used for industrial purposes. When ValleyCDC asked for a waiver through Chapter 40B, an official state law that is promoting affordable housing, the Hadley zoning board of appeals said no. After an appeal to a state body, the project was approved.
“We have a number of different milestones, one of which is site control, so we have to own or control the property; then we have zoning approval, which is the one that was challenging, and finally got overturned in an appeal; and then the last major hurdle is raising all of the financing that is needed,” Laura Baker, the project manager, said.
