After years of legal wrangling, an 18-acre parcel of land—once an industrial site—in the coastal city of Chelsea, MA, has been protected. The property is the former home of the Forbes Lithograph Company, and lies adjacent to the Mill and Chelsea Creeks, which was once a thriving marsh teeming with birds and aquatic creatures.

Once the old factory buildings and toxic materials are removed, 2.5 acres of the site will be used to build 225 units of affordable housing. The property will also house a Mass Audubon nature center and a headquarters for GreenRoots. The remaining 15 acres will become a waterfront park. Total cost is estimated at $65 million.