Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for Assisted Living Center for Seniors

The rebirth of a vacant building at 40 Lincoln St. in Winthrop was celebrated Tuesday morning.

Town officials and business leaders gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the former Winthrop Community Hospital that will become a residential community for seniors with 17 independent living apartments, 53 assisted living apartments, and 20 memory care apartment.

The name of the facility will be The Arbors at Winthrop.

The diligent efforts of Town Manager James McKenna, Town Council President Peter Gill, and Precinct 2 Councilor James Letterie helped to drive the project smoothly through the planning and approval process.

“Their dedication and spirit of cooperation was instrumental in bringing this senior living development into a reality,” said Ernest Gralia III, principal of The Arbors Independent and Assisted Living Communities.

“The Arbors Independent and Assisted Living Communities is well established in Massachusetts and has been providing excellence in senior living options for many years. The Arbors has locations throughout Massachusetts and is well known for providing the highest standard of care and quality of life for seniors.

The interior demolition is complete and construction will begin early summer. The East Boston Savings Bank is financing The Arbors at Winthrop project.

“We are excited to bring our senior living expertise to Winthrop,” said Gralia. “Its unique and picturesque character is a perfect match for us and we look forward to serving the community.”

“It’s a hot day but a wonderful day,” said McKenna in his remarks at the ceremony. “We welcome a brand new facility here that’s going to bring a whole sense of economic vitality to this community.

McKenna congratulated Steve Chapman of SMC Management Corporation for bringing the project to Winthrop.

“You came in to my office with an idea. You took the pulse of the community and said, ‘Does this make sense?’ And here today we’re confirming that this indeed makes a lot of sense for this community. Congratulations to your group in seeing it through.”

Gill said his family has a special connection to the Winthrop Hospital.

“This assisted living center is a wonderful use of this building, a wonderful asset to our community and to our senior citizens,” said Gill. “This building holds a soft spot in my heart. My brothers and I were all born behind these walls as was my wife and her family and two of my kids. All four would have been born here except the maternity ward closed.”

Letterie credited SMC Management, the Arbors Independent and Assisted Living Communities, and the residents of the neighborhood “who surround this iconic building” for helping to make the project a reality.

“We all, as citizens of this beautiful seaside community are winners in this project,” said Letterie. “It’s been well over ten years, but it’s sure nice to see some new [life] breathing in to this new building.”