Habitat building house for Wilton family

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Submitted photo The lot at the corner of Russell and Maple Streets where Habitat for Humanity is building a home for Caroline Partridge and her sons Shane and Cory.

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Jessie Salisbury photo Rev. David Robinson, pastor of Church of Our Savior, of Milford, and Habitat Project Manager Eric Jensen, right, led the groundbreaking ceremonies.

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Jessie Salisbury photo Caroline Partridge and her sons Cory, far left, and Shane, will be the owners of the new house. They currently live on Island Street.

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Jessie Salisbury photo The Partridge family assisted with the ceremonies, moving a few shovelsful of dirt at the site.

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Submitted photo The lot at the corner of Russell and Maple Streets where Habitat for Humanity is building a home for Caroline Partridge and her sons Shane and Cory.

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WILTON – Habitat for Humanity of Nashua called it a “ground-breaking ceremony,” but the forms for pouring the foundation were already in place Saturday, Aug. 7, when project members, friends and supporters joined Caroline Partridge and her two sons, Cory and Shane, for the dedication of the work that will provide them a new home.

“This is so exciting,” Caroline Partridge said just before the ceremonies. “It almost brings tears, it’s so touching, so many people willing to volunteer to help.”

The family current lives on Island Street.

Dedication ceremonies were led by the Rev. David Robinson of Church of Our Saviour of Milford, who is chairman of the Faith Relations Committee, and Habitat project manager Eric Jensen.

“This is some fantastic turnout,” Jensen said of the two dozen people gathered at the site. “It’s wonderful to be here.”

Work on the house will be done mainly by volunteers working on Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with the goal of having it closed in by cold weather, allowing work to be done during the winter. Completion of the house is expected within a year.

“Anyone who can and is able is welcome to come and lend a hand,” Jensen said.

And help arrives unexpectedly sometimes.

“We had some material that needed to be removed and two trucks showed up and moved it. It was great.”

The small lot on the corner of Russell and Maple streets required a variance for one setback requirement, which was granted recently with no opposition, and the town waived most of the fees connected with the project, according to Robert Gaul, chairman of the family selection committee.

There are three criteria for having a home built by Habitat for Humanity, Gaul said.

“Need, obviously, people who couldn’t otherwise afford to move into a house, but they need to be able to afford the zero interest mortgage. This is a hand up, not a hand out.” The overall cost of the project, from excavation through construction, insurance and other costs, are built into the mortgage, usually in the $80,000 to $100,000 range. “Hopefully the mortgage will be a little less than they now pay for rent,” he said. “It’s a pretty affordable payment, for people who just need a little help.”

In addition, the new owner “must be willing to partner in the project “with sweat equity,” he said. “About 350 hours of work.”

The pouring of the foundation was planned for Aug. 9.

The project encountered one problem as they were digging the foundation: No one apparently knew that the sewer pipe for the adjoining property ran through the middle of the lot. That house now has a new sewer line.

“Everybody working just pitched in to repair it,” Jensen said. “All of the committees and the town crew.”

Jessie Salisbury can be reached at jessies@tellink.net.