Building boomlet; Housing permits are up, homes selling in Clinton.

Byline: Karen Nugent

CLINTON - A building boom of sorts is going on in town, but the reason is murky.

Building permits taken out for new single-family homes more than doubled in the first eight months of fiscal 2009, which began July 1.

And the homes are selling.

Building inspector Tony Zahariadis said as of Monday, 25 permits have been taken out

this fiscal year - compared with 10 in each of the two previous fiscal years.

Permits this year were taken out for new construction at The Woodlands, a partially completed 495-unit complex of mostly condominiums and some single-family homes; by Brian Lussier of Comfort Homes in Dracut, who is developing the Nathan Heights subdivision on the Lancaster line and will soon start another one off Chace Road; by Marlboro-based Fossile Construction, developer of the 23-unit upscale West Ledge subdivision of Berlin Street, which was stalled for years; and by Lunenburg-based GAC Homes, which sold two homes off Fitch Road marketed as energy efficient - a big selling point, Mr. Zahariadis said.

"It's not happening anywhere else," he said, acknowledging he was at a loss to explain the increase. "Clinton is the only one around that's busy. I don't know what it is, but something's going on."

By comparison, from July 1 through Dec. 31, four new housing permits were taken out in Leominster and two in Westboro. The trend statewide has been down.

Linda Fossile of Fossile Construction, a family owned business, said more buyers are on the scene, and they are picky about getting more house for their dollars. The company has several proposed and completed subdivisions besides West Ledge, including in Hudson and Leominster.

"Clinton has been more active than other places," Ms. Fossile said, but did not offer an explanation.

Rick Freeman of Lancaster-based Rick and Terri Freeman Real Estate, who is handling West Ledge, sold four of the homes - for $425,000 to $500,000 apiece - in the last four months.

Mr. Freeman, who agreed there has been much activity on the housing front in Clinton lately, thinks the West Ledge homes, while higher priced than most houses in town, were a great value because of amenities such as fireplaces, cathedral ceilings and size - and location.

"It's new construction on a cul-de-sac about three minutes from (Interstate) 495," Mr. Freeman said. "It's a great value and you can't compete with that, anywhere."

Before those houses sold, Niel Fossile, owner of Fossile Construction, had been before the Planning Board several times - the latest just a few months ago - seeking extensions on his yearlong building permits.

Unlike nearby, more rural towns, Clinton has municipal services such as water, sewer and rubbish pickup, Mr. Zahariadis pointed out. More like a city than a town, it has two supermarkets, several pharmacies and many fast-food chains.

In fact, besides the increased housing construction, he noted the expansion at Hannaford's into the former CVS, which has built a new store a block away on Main Street; a new Walgreens on Main Street; a new painting school addition to the Museum of Russian Icons - which has become a niche destination - and infrastructure improvements around Nypro, a worldwide injection molding company and the town's biggest employer.

Mr. Zahariadis said an anchor store at Woodruff Plaza, which will move into two storefronts next to Shaw's Supermarket, is coming, but he is unsure what it will be.

Yesterday, Robert Mehlich, a New York developer who owns Woodruff Plaza, said he is "not at liberty" to comment on the change.

Contact Karen Nugent by e-mail at [e-mail].

ART: PHOTO; GRAPH

CUTLINE: (PHOTO) New home construction is booming in Clinton, including at the 23-unit West Ledge subdivision that had been stalled for years. (GRAPH) In a building bust ...

PHOTOG: (PHOTO) T&G Staff/MARK C. IDE (GRAPH) T&G Staff/STACEY ARSENAULT