PAST MYSTERY PHOTOS
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"(Photo #16) Beechwood Apartments"

What's special about how these apartments, which are on Rachel Road (off Oakland Street), came to be built? Their groundbreaking was in April, 1969. Contemporary photo by Susan Barlow.


Following are comments received from those who responded.         If you would like to add more comments, please click here .

• Susan Barlow writes: "This is a contemporary photo of Beechwood Apartments off Oakland Street, funded and developed by MISAC and its eight members: Beth Sholom B'nai Israel Temple, St. James Catholic Church, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, North United Methodist Church, South United Methodist Church, Center Congregational Church, Second Congregational Church, and Unitarian Universalist Society East."

• Malcolm Barlow of Manchester wrote, in 2010: "A Temple lawyer formed a committee called the Manchester Interfaith Social Action Committee. When the committee reached the serious point of being able to get millions in federally-subsidized loans to build a 191-unit family apartment complex (now known as Beechwood on Rachel Road), the committee created the MISAC Corporation. The letters do not officially stand for anything now.

"MISAC now makes at least $100,000 more than it spends each year, and that with rents unchanged for a least 4 years. There is near zero vacancies each year. The rents for quality apartments are about half market right now. And the rent includes heat. The 2 and 3-bedroom townhouse apartments include a full basement with walkout rear doors. There is nothing like it for the money in the moderate income world. I�ve been on the corporate board since about 1969. The board is made up of members of 8 Manchester churches. The board authorizes spending projects as fast as they occur to our management company. Everything is in great shape, the grounds are beautiful.

"Very little has changed in appearance even though all the doors and windows and shingles and more have been replaced at least once in the 42+ year history of the place."

Webmaster Note: Additional information on MISAC in the "Reprints" section of this website:   Church Housing Group Now Official   and   Clergymen Break Ground for MISAC Apartments.