Staying conservative in Groveland
GROVELAND -- Some communities are spending millions of dollars on new town halls, public safety buildings, and schools. Not this town, where the emphasis is on preventive maintenance and conservative fiscal practices.
"So we're not building anything at the moment," said Nancy Lewandowski, administrative assistant to the Board of Selectmen, who noted the most recent town project expanded parking for the 27-year-old municipal center.
There has been steady growth in single-family homes . But with nearly one-third of the town part of the Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area, and another 47 acres preserved as Veasy Park, "There are still a lot of trees, a lot of the feeling of wooded areas . . . even with the building that's going on," Lewandowski said.
Groveland became a town in 1850. Its northern border is the Merrimack River and the town is adjacent to Haverhill, Georgetown, Boxford, and West Newbury. Selectwoman Elizabeth Gorski, whose great-grandfather moved here in the 1890s, said the town has quick access to major highways, the benefits of urban life in Haverhill, and the quality of a small-town life once back inside Groveland's borders.
"We are close to everything. We can get to the ocean in 20 minutes," she said.
On a recent week, Realtor.com listed 53 single-family homes, ranging from $250,000 for a two-bed, one-bath, 1,269-square-foot home to $2.3 million for a five-bed, 4 1/2 -bath, 6,780-square-foot home on 9 acres. Median price of a single-family home through September was $366,000, according to Warren Group, which publishes real estate information.
JOHN RICHARDSON ELLEMENT 