Photograph of the Ayer House in 1908. (Courtesy Pollard Memorial LIbrary)
Lowell — The Bridge Club of Greater Lowell announced today that it has officially acquired 267 Pawtucket Street, a historic Lowell landmark now known as the Stone House, also referred to as the Ayer House and formerly Bachand Hall.
The acquisition marks a major milestone in the organization’s ongoing expansion of housing and support services for veterans and represents a critical next step in building a full continuum of care.
The Stone House will be developed into permanent supportive housing for veterans, complementing the Bridge Club’s recently opened Mason House, located at 147 East Merrimack Street, which serves as transitional housing for veterans exiting homelessness, incarceration, or other periods of instability.
Together, the two properties create a clear housing pathway, allowing veterans to move from short-term stabilization into long-term, permanent housing within the same trusted support system.
In addition to housing, the Stone House will include an education component designed specifically for resident veterans. This on-site programming is intended to support veterans not only in maintaining housing, but in building sustainable, independent futures.
Constructed in 1824, The Stone House has served many purposes over its two-century history and remains a prominent structure along Pawtucket Street overlooking the Merrimack River. Its preservation and reuse align with the Bridge Club’s mission to restore stability while honoring community history.
This acquisition strengthens the Bridge Club’s broader continuum of veteran services, which includes housing stabilization, recovery support, workforce development, transportation assistance, and re-entry services.
These efforts are supported in part by the organization’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), a federally funded initiative that helps veterans secure employment, housing, and supportive services.
Through HVRP and related programming, the Bridge Club serves veterans not only in Massachusetts, but across New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, ensuring regional access to coordinated, veteran-centered support.
With ownership of The Stone House secured, the Bridge Club will move forward with planning and development to bring permanent veteran housing online, further solidifying Lowell’s role as a regional leader in veteran reintegration and housing stability.
