CONWAY — Two local moms are spearheading an effort to create affordable housing by preserving historical properties in town.
The Bluebird Project — a for-profit LLC — is headed by veterinarian Eliza Grant and Kit Hickey, an MIT lecturer on entrepreneurship, both Conway residents. They are both in their 30s, both married with two children age 5 and under, and both are civic-minded.
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(2) comments
I know another local mother doing the exact same thing. You should reach out to her. They can learn a lot from her. She already has proven results.
Unfortunately this building will not pass fire codes.
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