bankHometown recently donated $10,000 to Fitchburg-based NewVue Communities’ innovative housing development project. NewVue is dedicated to creating strong and healthy neighborhoods by helping families, small businesses, and communities with homeownership, housing development, community organizing, and small business technical assistance. While they provide services to the 22 towns in their footprint, they have identified Fitchburg as their primary focus. Their work is at the center of many redevelopment efforts in Fitchburg, and they hope to further enhance their presence by offering a multitude of programs and services to families and businesses in the city.

 “NewVue has a history of delivering opportunities to help people realize their dreams of homeownership, business ownership, and financial independence,” said bankHometown President and CEO Robert J. Morton. “We’re proud to strengthen the foundation of our communities with this partnership and help so many realize their full potential.” 

According to Marc Dohan, executive director at NewVue, this housing development project focuses on the construction of the Fitchburg Arts Community which began in June 2023 and is the culmination of 10 years of work to get to this point. This community will provide 68 mixed-income, artist preference apartments in three former historic municipal buildings. NewVue is converting the former BF Brown Middle School (62 Academy Street), the former City Stables, and the former High School Annex (82 Academy Street) into apartments and artist amenities. The project is located across the street from and in partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum. Dohan says this project is more than just innovative affordable housing that allows families to find a place to call home, but is an opportunity to nurture and sustain a creative community in Fitchburg, providing residents with professional development and programming.

“bankHometown has a strong and important presence in the community,” said Dohan. “We are grateful for their generosity as they support the final and most exciting stage of the Fitchburg Arts Community.”

About bankHometown: 

Founded in 1889, bankHometown is headquartered in Oxford, Massachusetts. We have $1.4 billion in assets and offer a complete line of consumer and business deposit and lending products and services through 16 branches located throughout Central Massachusetts and northeast Connecticut. We’re proud to fulfill our community banking mission—providing individualized financial support, a suite of comprehensive products and services, and smart banking technology—all to ensure our customers can unlock their potential and build a successful future. 

Through our sponsorship and charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, bankHometown and the Hometown Bank Community Foundation support non-profit organizations and causes throughout Worcester and Windham Counties. In 2023 alone, The Giving Tree donated nearly $400,000 and over the last decade has donated more than $2.7 million. bankHometown was proud to be named a 2023 Corporate Citizenship Award winner by Boston Business Journal. For more information, visit bankhometown.com.