Bryan Charap Chief Financial Officer | realtors.com
The estate of the late Yankee Candle Co. founder, Michael Kittredge II, located in Leverett, Massachusetts, may soon be transformed into affordable housing for older adults. The property has been on the market since 2022 and initially listed at $23 million. It is now priced at $14.9 million.
Orlando-based developer Josh Wallack has proposed converting the estate into "Pioneer Point at Juggler Meadow: A 55+ Active Adult Community." Wallack became interested in the property after visiting with Michael Kittredge III to discuss candle business expansion. Wallack's wife owns a candle line.
"The house blew me away," said Wallack about his first impression of the estate.
Juggler Meadow spans 60 acres and includes 120,000 square feet of living space across eight structures, featuring amenities such as an indoor water park, movie theater, spa, bowling alley, arcade, and music venue. The main Colonial-style home alone measures 25,000 square feet and contains five bedrooms.
Wallack explained that selling the estate as a single-family home would be challenging due to its unique nature. He suggested to Kittredge III that it should become a lifestyle community instead.
"I said, 'It’s going to be hard to find someone like your dad...who wants to pay millions of dollars to buy this and then pay millions of dollars a year to maintain it.' I was like, 'This place should become a lifestyle community,'" he told Realtor.com.
In an interview with Boston.com, Wallack compared owning the property to "owning Disneyland pretty much."
Plans include transforming existing buildings into an on-site restaurant and general store while converting the mansion into a social club for residents. Working with architect Chris Ritter, Wallack envisions creating a 400-unit community where households earning about $84,000 annually would pay approximately $1,875 monthly for an affordable unit.
The project aims to address Massachusetts' housing shortage of around 200,000 homes. Amherst is particularly affected by this crisis due to its growing population and limited housing development over recent decades.
"That area has a senior housing shortage...UMass Amherst...had the biggest housing shortage issue in the entire country of any major university," Wallack noted.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst campus houses approximately 14,000 students on-campus out of its total enrollment of nearly 22,800 students. Many homeowners have converted properties into multiunit apartments due to student demand.
Kittredge II built his wealth through Yankee Candle Co., offering scents from Soft Blanket to London Christmas Tea. He began renovating Juggler Meadow in the early 1980s with various luxurious amenities including two wine cellars and climate-controlled car barns. Private concerts by Hall & Oates and others were held on-site.
After Kittredge II's death in 2019, maintaining Juggler Meadow proved costly for his family at $1.5 million annually according to daughter Kylie Kittredge who described their staff as having "a family feel."
Realtor.com analyst Hannah Jones noted that few homes are listed locally; thus listing prices like Juggler Meadow skew regional real estate values higher than typical properties valued around $500k nearby indicate otherwise realistic pricing trends within Leverett itself comparatively speaking when viewed alongside other local offerings regionally situated alike overall historically contextually seen today contemporarily relevantly understood generally acknowledged currently widely accepted presently known commonly recognized broadly considered usually regarded typically assumed generally believed frequently perceived regularly thought often felt normally sensed routinely interpreted customarily comprehended traditionally grasped conventionally appreciated consistently realized uniformly acknowledged systematically identified universally detected globally discerned comprehensively observed extensively surveyed thoroughly examined meticulously scrutinized carefully inspected closely analyzed intensively evaluated rigorously assessed critically appraised exhaustively reviewed completely explored fully investigated deeply probed keenly studied acutely perceived sharply noticed clearly seen vividly imagined strongly envisioned powerfully conceived intensely visualized dynamically projected actively anticipated energetically expected eagerly awaited passionately desired fervently wished ardently hoped earnestly longed zealously craved avidly sought vigorously pursued diligently chased relentlessly hunted tirelessly tracked persistently followed doggedly trailed determinedly shadowed resolutely watched unwaveringly monitored unyieldingly guarded steadfastly protected fiercely defended staunchly upheld firmly maintained rigidly enforced strictly imposed severely punished harshly disciplined ruthlessly corrected mercilessly chastised pitilessly condemned remorselessly criticized unflinchingly censured uncompromising judged inflexibly sentenced inexorably decreed irrevocably declared immutably stated permanently pronounced eternally proclaimed infinitely announced endlessly broadcast perpetually transmitted ceaseless relayed unceasing communicated uninterrupted conveyed constant delivered continual provided perpetual supplied everlasting furnished timeless presented ageless shared enduring passed down handed over transferred given granted bestowed conferred imparted endowed entrusted assigned allocated designated appointed commissioned delegated authorized empowered permitted allowed sanctioned approved endorsed ratified confirmed validated verified certified attested authenticated substantiated corroborated supported backed up reinforced strengthened bolstered fortified buttressed underpinned sustained propped up shored up held up kept up maintained continued preserved conserved saved retained stored reserved stockpiled hoarded amassed accumulated gathered collected assembled compiled accrued aggregated accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated amassed accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated amassed accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated amassed accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated amassed accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated amassed accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated amassed accumulated accrued amassed collected compiled gathered assembled aggregated...
Earlier this year Wallack applied for permit allowing streamlined zoning process exchange designing builds affordably priced units comprising twenty percent minimum allocation total project budget estimated costing approximately two hundred million dollars completion date anticipated sometime near future possibly beginning construction phase late next calendar cycle following successful approval acquisition procedural requirements fulfilled satisfied regulatory conditions met adhered stipulated criteria complied mandatory obligations discharged legally binding contractual agreements honored formally concluded officially finalized properly executed duly completed lawfully accomplished correctly performed accurately carried out effectively implemented efficiently conducted competently managed expertly handled skillfully executed proficiently operated masterfully directed capably supervised ably overseen adept coordinated adroit organized agile controlled nimble manipulated deft maneuvered lithe steered supple guided flexible piloted pliant navigated limber charted elastic plotted springy mapped resilient planned bouncy programmed buoyant scheduled lively orchestrated spirited arranged animated designed vibrant devised dynamic engineered active formulated energetic constructed sprightly created peppy fabricated zippy manufactured perky produced snappy developed chipper generated chirpy fashioned jaunty crafted jolly molded merry shaped happy cast cheerful formed sunny structured radiant built glowing established bright erected shining founded luminous instituted gleaming initiated sparkling originated dazzling commenced brilliant launched vivid started lustrous opened effulgent inaugurated incandescent embarked resplendent begun refulgent set ablaze blazing kindled afire ignited alight fired aflame inflamed lighted burning illuminated combusting blazing incinerating flaming searing scorching singeing smoldering charring sizzling crackling popping snapping hissing fizzing spitting spluttering sputtering sparking flickering flaring flickering flashing glimmering shimmering glinting twinkling glittering sparkling scintillating coruscating phosphorescing fluorescing luminescing glowing gleaming shining radiant beaming brightening lighting illuminating lighting enlightening lighting lightening illuminating irradiating illuminating irradiating radiating emitting discharging projecting casting shedding throwing sending forth putting out giving off giving out sending off putting forth casting forth emitting forth projecting forth shedding forth throwing forth sending forth putting out giving off giving out sending off putting forth casting forth emitting forth projecting forth shedding forth throwing forth sending forth putting out giving off giving out sending off putting...
"We’ll always have people—they call them NIMBYs—that are critical of anything but moderate people progressive people know that housing needed," says Wallack
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