Sununu seeking $21 million to develop veterans campus in Franklin

Plans for a new 15-acre veterans campus in Franklin got just a brief mention in Gov. Chris Sununu’s 45-minute State of the State address last week. But it would be a significant investment in the city and the state’s veterans and their families.

The governor will ask the Fiscal Committee to approve using $21 million to develop the site, which is owned by Easterseals NH. The agency will manage day-to-day operations. Until November, it used the site, which is surrounded by fields and forest, for its Farnum North addiction treatment campus.

The project is still being developed, and construction is several months away, according to the governor’s office. Easterseals NH will use the property’s existing buildings to create 21 apartments and 16 “retreat” beds for shorter stays. There will be both permanent and transitional housing available.

The campus will also have onsite mental health and substance misuse treatment, home care services, a fitness center, and equine and pet therapy. The location on Holy Cross Road sits along the Northern Rail Trail and is a short distance from the Merrimack River.

“There is a lot of potential on that site,” said Franklin Mayor Jo Brown, a veteran herself. “It’s a good fit, and I think it’s a very good thing for Franklin. Housing for any population is critical.”