Avalon North Andover is a two-phased master planned 260,000 square foot transit-oriented, 221 unit multifamily community. The timber-framed clubhouse serves as a central hub; expansive storefront windows, high ceilings, and exposed beams blend the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor amenities. Residents enjoy ample outdoor space with a landscaped courtyard, pool, fire pit, grills, and dog park. Inside the clubhouse, the live-work-play program features a light-filled lounge with a community kitchen, custom banquettes, private work pods, and a state-of-the-art fitness space with two yoga rooms. The welcoming aesthetic includes original paintings, papercraft, and sculptural wall hangings. Located in the Machine Shop Village Historic District, the architecture and interior design pay homage to the site’s industrial past with a modern, functional aesthetic. The development provides a dynamic community in a desirable location within walking distance of public transportation and local retail.
Sited on a serene 5.5-acre wooded lot, Anthology of Natick is a new 82,000 square foot community with 86 luxury assisted and memory care units for local seniors. Thoughtfully designed to promote and enhance engagement, residents have next-door access to the Natick Community Senior Center, and ample outdoor amenity space, gardens, and walking trails. Inspired by the New England farmhouse aesthetic, board and batten walls, painted wood ceilings, glass barn doors, and wicker lighting fixtures combine to create an inviting and sophisticated environment. Residents enjoy a variety of entertainment and dining options, wellness space, and a game room. A dedicated Virtue Memory Care Neighborhood is designed to help residents thrive, offering its own dining room, common area, and walking courtyard with raised garden beds.
Southbridge Mills is a $23 million preservation and adaptation of a 19th-century, three-story brick mill into 48 affordable units. Located on the former campus of the American Optical Company, the 70,000 square foot structure was built in 1888 for machinery, grinding, and storage and is the oldest building within the Southbridge Innovation Center complex. Prior to its closure in 1979, the international leader in the optical field served as Southbridge’s largest employer.
The decaying mill required extensive interior repair due to water damage and neglect, including complete replacement of the timber decking and beams in the central core of the structure, brick and mortar restoration, and exterior waterproofing. Located in the floodplain adjacent to the Quinebaug River, the design team raised the mill’s first floor by one foot to create a resilient structure. The deep floorplate allowed for double-loaded corridors – a long central hallway with units on either side – providing greater circulation efficiency and higher overall unit density. Original mill details are artfully exposed, including brick, decking, and wood and steel columns, which add to the industrial aesthetic. One of the original stairwells was thoughtfully preserved and restored for resident use.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building’s LEED-certifiable restoration boasts energy-efficient windows, insulated and air sealed bedrooms, and a high-efficiency heating system. The interior design highlights character-defining features and finishes of the mill with respect to the historic materials. A muted color palette of earth tones creates an elegant and calming atmosphere, resulting in a sense of harmony with the surrounding Lensdale Pond waterfront environment and original architecture. Amenities include a light-filled resident lounge and workspace, an accessible community kitchenette, an entry lobby, a shared laundry room, and a mail room.
A new seven-story mixed-use multifamily community, located adjacent to the 10,000-seat Polar Park in Worcester’s Historic Canal District, is comprised of 173 units and 16,000 square feet of retail space intended for resident and public entertainment uses. The development includes an amenity-rich live-work-play program featuring a candlepin bowling alley, virtual reality space, brew lounge, pizza parlor, game room, two rooftop decks, communal and co-working lounge, and a comprehensive fitness center. Sited on the former storied music venue, Sir Morgan’s Cove, the interior design embraces a rock-and-roll glamor aesthetic, complete with a circular glass fireplace, custom art and millwork, and tattoo-inspired pieces by local muralists. As a symbol of the energetic and youthful spirit of the 1970s, Persian rugs and leather upholstery coupled with tasteful patterns and colors provide a glam factor and refined grown-up texture to create a welcoming vibe.
A $90M new master planned development, Avalon Harbor Isle, comprises 172 luxury units programmed across 14 two-and-a-half-story buildings, offering a mix of one- two- and three-bedroom apartments. Sited on a peninsula bounded by single-family homes, a protected wetland, and an extensive coastline, the massing was a key consideration for the design to ensure compatibility between the new multistory development and the smaller-scaled adjacent neighborhood. The result was a configuration of smaller direct-entry perimeter buildings, each offering the comforts of a single-family home, including private entries, garages, and front porches.
The community is intentionally designed to maximize view corridors to the water, with each structure oriented perpendicular to the coastline. The private interior courtyards feature landscaped walking trails, areas for socialization, and diagonal views of the shoreline. Embracing a coastal architectural aesthetic with resort-style elegance, the design gives a nod to traditional board and batten siding while emphasizing a nautical material palette. Oversized decks and porches with inboard columns offer sweeping vistas of the water.
A centrally located Clubhouse is the focal point of the community, programmed with a wide range of amenities and 37 one- two- and three-bedroom apartments. The light-filled entry provides a direct view of the waterfront. The interior design seamlessly blends timeless contemporary style, modern conveniences, nature-inspired hues, and custom millwork mimicking the curvature of ocean waves. Amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, clubroom, golf simulator, and landscaped courtyard featuring a heated pool, an expansive patio, a floating dock complete with a kayak launch, and ample walking paths along the coastline.
The completion of Avalon Harbor Isle marks the culmination of a 10-year initiative to redevelop an 11.6-acre brownfield site in the Harbor Isle section of Island Park. This once-blighted waterfront parcel, formerly home to the Cibro Petroleum storage facility housing over 17 million gallons of oil and fuel, required the remediation of approximately 61,000 tons of contaminated soil and cleansing of the groundwater. With existing soils unable to effectively support the new site improvements and buildings, a load transfer platform, supported on wood piles, was constructed over the site’s footprint to mitigate settlement. AeroAggragate, an ultra-lightweight fill made from 99% recycled glass, was used to raise the site’s grade by eight feet, without inducing further settlement, resulting in a highly flood resilient community.
Anthology of Millis is a new 84,559 square foot luxury senior community comprised of 14 independent living cottages distributed across seven standalone structures. In addition, the community offers 65 assisted living units and 26 memory care units in a two-story building, all thoughtfully arranged around two interconnected courtyards.
The interior design program promotes a sense of warmth, inclusion, and community. Earthy beige, soft blue, and elegant grey hues combine together to create a contemporary yet timeless aesthetic. Well-lit living spaces with brass and rattan finishes, maple wood accents, and neutral materials bring a connection to nature and foster an environment for social engagement.
A robust amenity program offers residents three distinct dining rooms, a grab & go café, two salons, a theatre, a game room, and multiple activity rooms. A fitness center, lounges, library, and family visitation suites provide additional opportunities for connection and physical well-being. Situated on a 7.7 acre wooded area near the Charles River, Anthology of Millis offers a conveniently located and tranquil continuum of care housing option for seniors with varying acuity needs.
Parkway 1208 is the first affordable multifamily community constructed in West Roxbury since 2013. The result of a robust public and private partnership, the LEED Gold development is intended to help alleviate the housing crisis for the city’s workforce and families, with some apartments reserved for low-income households transitioning out of homelessness. The 60 unit transit-oriented community features a comprehensive amenity program with an expansive ground-level flex space, including a community room and a resident lounge with a kitchenette for socialization, a conference room, a fitness area, and versatile co-working spaces—both private and communal. Drawing inspiration from nature, the interior design palette blends soft blues and greens with warm earth tones, creating a welcoming atmosphere for intergenerational residents.
Outdoor amenities offer a landscaped courtyard with a children’s play area, raised garden beds, walking paths, and green space open to the public. The inclusive community promotes walkability and accessibility to nearby retail, as well as cultural and outdoor attractions. Residents benefit from onsite parking, electric vehicle charging stations, pet washing station, and bicycle storage.
The Residence at Bala Cynwyd is a six-story, 102,000 square foot assisted living and memory care community comprised of 84 units on a prominent 4.8-acre site. The parcel was once home to the West Manayunk Woolen Mills, built in the 1850s, eventually becoming known as Lee’s Shoddy Mill, named for its production of recycled cloth from wool and cotton. The $26 million development required the demolition of the existing obsolete structures, extensive shoring, and considerable stabilization utilizing retaining walls. The new community’s stone veneer, exposed steel framing, bays, board-formed concrete, and natural exterior color palette pay homage to the former mill. Working with a local quarry, the design team sourced stone reminiscent of Wissahickon Schist to complement the brick and evoke the aesthetic of mid-19th century industrial structures in Pennsylvania.
Located at the gateway of Bala Cynwyd, the site features a challenging 100-foot slope at the rear and a historic flume running the entire length of the frontage. Collaborative efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were required for thoughtful remediation of the site, as the building footprint is constructed within 10 feet of the Gulley Run Creek. The unique constraints of the site were leveraged as a design advantage, creating a lower parking level beneath a concrete partition and three distinct access points: a vehicular bridge, a dedicated pedestrian bridge, and an occupied bridge spanning the creek for multifunctional use.
To maximize natural light and generate visual interest for residents and passersby, oversized windows and amenities are south facing, articulating the street, and newly created pedestrian walkways, a public pocket park, and a bicycle path. The interior program for this “personal care” community emphasizes indoor and outdoor connections, featuring a light-filled double-height passageway through the resident bistro to the central dining area, a large outdoor patio, and a sixth-floor roof deck with an adjacent sunroom. In Pennsylvania, personal care is the term used for communities that would be considered assisted throughout much of the country, offering private apartments, meals, and help with the activities of daily living. Textures, patterns, natural tones, materials, and finishes are layered to create an elevated boutique hotel-like environment for residents. Amenities include a second-floor fitness space, salon, and activities room.
With a robust building envelope, all-electric VRF systems, and high-efficiency tilt-and-turn windows, the community earned the National Green Building Standard Silver Status certification. Additional improvements include the construction of a 10-foot-wide sidewalk and landscaped verge to improve pedestrian entry to the front of the property and access to the adjacent Cynwyd Heritage Trail.
The Cordwainer is an innovative 54 unit freestanding memory care community in Norwell, Massachusetts. The 50,000 square foot complex is situated in a tranquil, wooded expanse and reimagines the memory impairment care model by taking design inspiration from nature to enhance resident health and wellness. Its focus is on support services for the growing population of older adults with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The facility is notable for its learning-based programming and its use of biophilia, an approach to architecture and interiors that strives to enhance human well-being through greater connection to the natural world.
The firm’s design reflects an evidence-based approach that recognizes how light can significantly impact dementia by improving mood and reducing depression and psychoactive symptoms common to the disease. The resulting interior spaces provide a bright, airy atmosphere that uses natural materials like wood and living moss walls and prioritizes thoughtfully modulated daylight. Key solutions include an expansive skylight above the building’s centrally located two-story atrium sensory garden that serves as a focal point of the community’s care program. To maximize daylight penetration deep within the building’s core, a series of large clerestory windows are located in common areas, and three lightwells are spaced at equal intervals along the community’s north-facing facade, providing diffused natural lighting to a series of activity rooms on the second floor.
The residential units are programmed to the south and north for soft lighting from large, oversized tilt and turn windows. The west- and east-facing common lounge and dining rooms benefit from daylong light penetration through floor-to-ceiling glazing. These design solutions for boosting natural light all work together to provide therapeutic sensory stimulation, helping ease the agitation many dementia patients experience throughout the day.
The design includes a range of engaging spaces – dedicated activity rooms, workshops, informal living rooms, and a performance center – each supporting the community’s proprietary dementia therapies programming called The Learned Environment, which incorporates activities involving art, music, and foreign language to stimulate cognitive function. To facilitate engagement, The Cordwainer’s community-oriented design features open plan living and dining rooms on each floor, surrounded by residential suites comprising 47 single units and seven companion suites with private bedrooms. The building’s boulevard-style corridor, elevators, and high-contrast interior color scheme ease wayfinding routes for the residents, fostering accessibility to and from apartments and ancillary spaces.
Minimalism and Midcentury Modern converge to create a harmonious environment for the residents. Emphasizing functionality and clean lines, a priority is placed on a tranquil color palette and natural elements, accented by custom millwork and curated artwork to create a refined aesthetic. A double-height living wall defines a serene entry with organic forms and hues of varying earth tones. A central fireplace invites socialization while statement lighting softly illuminates the lobby.
Resident amenities include the second level’s rooftop terrace, a wood workshop, a barbershop and salon, a fitness center, a private visitation suite for families, and performance and rejuvenation centers. The landscaped courtyard offers safe access to an outdoor sensory space, a critical component of memory care design.
A $57M infill redevelopment, The Loop at Mattapan Station transforms an underutilized MBTA parcel into a 171,000 square foot multifamily, mixed-use community with 11,648 square feet of ground floor retail space. With 135 units, comprised of six studios, 38 one-bedrooms, 81 two-bedrooms, ten three-bedrooms, and two townhomes, this contemporary, mixed-income community offers modern apartments for various income levels, 8% of which are accessible.
This transit-oriented development is adjacent to Mattapan Station, the terminus of the Mattapan-Ashmont trolley line, and is sited within the center of the vehicular/bus circulation route on three sides. The design accommodates a 50-space parking lot for MBTA commuters and includes an overhang that allows for parking and vehicles to pass beneath the east wing, with an additional 45 parking spaces for residents.
Resident amenities include a 2,000-square-foot flexible community room, which can seat 100 people or be converted into a half-court basketball play area. The ground floor accommodates a fitness room, a resident lounge that seamlessly connects to the mail/Amazon Hub and workstation area, and management offices. A clubroom with an entertainment-sized kitchen, modular seating options, a media area, and a game table, is an ideal extension of unit space for gathering and socializing. Three exterior spaces are available for residents to enjoy, including a pocket park with landscaped grounds and built-in seating, a deck on the sixth floor overlooking the adjacent Neponset River and Greenway, and a spacious outdoor patio on the ground-floor, connecting directly to the clubroom.
The massing of the building creates simple block formations that step back along River Street, modulating in height and color. Horizontal and vertical battens, cement fiber panels, and horizontal lap siding are employed for contrast. A circle perforation pattern on the screens evokes the texture of water inspired by the adjacent Neponset River.
A bold color palette is used throughout the interiors, accented by contemporary artwork, a 3D art installation in the clubroom, and modern lighting fixtures. Orange, yellow, and red hues provide a vibrant and lively aesthetic for the community spaces, balanced by calming shades of gray and teal in the resident hallways and fitness area. The Daily Table, a nonprofit grocery store whose mission is to provide nutritious, convenient, and fresh food to communities in need at affordable prices, anchors the retail space and features four colorful murals designed by local artist Ruby Rose.
Designed to Passive House standards, the development includes a solar photovoltaic array, EV charging stations, energy-efficient HVAC systems, air-tight enclosure and mechanized ventilation, ventless dryers in laundry rooms, interior storage for 135 bikes, and exterior bike racks including an e-bike rack. Designed in collaboration with Mass Design Group.
In a designated growth area abutting Forest Lakes and Montgomery Ridge, on what was a former tobacco farmstead, the rezoning and master plan of three parcels totaling 277 acres, will create a destination neighborhood including 600-800 single-family homes, a commercial area, and a mixed-use town center. As part of this comprehensive plan, Anthology of Charlottesville is a new four-story, 175,683 square foot independent, assisted living, and memory care facility, providing diverse and high-quality housing options for city residents.
Anthology of Charlottesville helps set a new precedent for senior living, with programming that exceeds the industry’s emerging wellness model with its highly visible location, walkability, proximity to retail, and overall integration into the community. The design is hospitality-based, with a focus on choice. The 20,000 square feet of shared upscale amenity spaces for 139 independent and assisted living units include a cafe/bistro, distinctive dining venues, high-tech resident lounge, library, theater, pub and game room, fitness space, indoor pool, golf simulator, grab-and-go cafe, and crafts room. The design adheres to eco-friendly principles while creating an atmosphere that has ample indoor-outdoor spaces, access to a large courtyard, gardens and walking trails, and abundant natural light.
Forty memory care units with dedicated amenities, including a dining room and resident lounge, are configured around an intimately scaled secondary courtyard with a circular walking path and resting areas. This supportive neighborhood setting facilitates high quality person-centric care by minimizing overstimulation, providing ample daylight, and creating an intuitive layout with visual cues and landmarks for wayfinding and orientation. Clear sight lines to clinical stations and help desks enhance safety, while a mix of active engagement and quiet spaces initiate involvement and support the desire for mobility and autonomy.
The $19.2M historic conversion of a 114-year-old, three-story 20th-century former cotton textile mill marks the completion of the phased redevelopment of Manomet Place. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the original Manomet Mills Complex was built in the early 1900s along the Acushnet River and later housed the Cliftex Corporation, a textile clothing company.
Phase one successfully rehabilitated a 142,000 square foot portion of the mill into a 76 unit mixed-income age-restricted community. The second phase completed ten years later, involved the adaptation of the adjacent 135,732 square foot mill into 71 one-, two-, and three-bedroom affordable and workforce units, restricted to residents aged 55+. A newly updated shared entry lobby and leasing office seamlessly connect the two phases, resulting in a unified, contiguous structure.
As part of the extensive restoration, the exterior masonry was repaired, repointed, and cleaned for long-term stability and architectural integrity. Forty-eight monitor window units and 176 oversized windows more than seven feet wide and 12 feet high were replaced with historically appropriate, double-paned, Low-E replicas. The new windows allow natural daylight to enter the units while minimizing heat transfer and reducing heat loss by as much as 50%.
The mill’s exceptionally large floorplates – boasting 92 15-foot columns, and 115 25-foot beam sections, made from an estimated 250+ Southern Yellow Pine Old-Growth trees – posed a challenge for the residential program. The resulting design creatively uses the 27.5-foot-wide corridors as flexible resident amenity space. A light-filled library with a custom double-sided sofa, work pods, expansive mailroom, resident café lounge, and makerspace are demarcated by custom metal partitions along the 264-foot central hallway. Anchored at the northern-facing end, a game lounge offers flexible resident activity space with comfortable seating, a kitchenette, a TV, and a pool table.
Existing historic monitor window openings on the third floor allow additional light to filter into the central residential corridor. Thoughtfully planned routing and placement of piping and ventilation ducts complement the building’s design exposing architectural surfaces and details such as the original pine decking, while mediating the spatial volume.
An outdoor patio area, scheduled to be completed in 2023, will feature a garden shed with rain barrels and potting tables, communal lounge space, a bocce court, a gazebo, grills, and new landscaping with native plantings that protect the riverfront wetland buffer. Designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) sustainability standards, the revitalized structure is solar panel-ready and benefits from contemporary hybrid-style HVAC heat pumps to promote energy efficiency.
The $3M moderate rehabilitation of Skymark Tower involved successfully repositioning a 24-story, 196 unit mixed-use structure originally built in 1991. Improvements include significant façade repairs with signage and accent lighting, elevator modernization, and building entrance upgrades. The stylish interior redesign elevates the building’s appeal with a welcoming, lively aesthetic, including a reimagined resident lobby with new furnishings and fixtures, an upgraded fitness center, and an enhanced resident entertainment lounge. Mailroom improvements incorporate package-receiving services through Amazon secure lockers.
Distinctive elements such as woodwork detailing, custom wallcoverings, and artwork contribute to a unique identity for the property, which has been renamed The 6Hundred. This transformation positions the building as a catalyst for future investments in the downtown area. Conveniently located in the Federal Square neighborhood and a rapidly emerging arts district, the property is within walking distance to Polar Park and a short distance from many of Worcester’s colleges
As part of a comprehensive planned urban development of the former Blue Ash municipal airport, Anthology of Blue Ash is a new four-story, 195,725 square foot community. Located on the grounds of the 130-acre site, the facility offers a continuum of care for seniors with 167 units of independent and assisted living, and 32 memory care units. This large-scale catalytic public-private redevelopment includes a diversified set of uses and services – commercial, industrial, natural, residential, and retail – creating a world-class placemaking destination for the residents of Cincinnati, now renamed Summit Park.
Anthology of Blue Ash is thoughtfully sited within the mixed-use neighborhood, with the front façade and outdoor patio facing the park. In keeping with the surrounding context, the predominantly brick structure features exposed structural steel accents, cement board paneling and siding, and multi-colored masonry details that stylistically create floating visual planes. A series of three-story colored frames are designed to disperse the overall massing into discrete façade elements that include oversized windows and dedicated inset balconies.
Upon entry, the café bistro imbues a boutique-like atmosphere with stylish bar seating, intimate gathering spaces, and an open-concept resident lounge for socialization. The interior design is a sophisticated monochrome aesthetic accented by natural wood and stone, combined with subtle blues, warm grays, and copper hues. Vistas from the main entry allow sight lines directly to generously landscaped outdoor space with a water feature, walking paths, and defined areas for recreation and relaxation.
Anchored around two large interior courtyards and innovatively programmed, the first floor features 45,000 square feet of amenity, office, and service space with double-height windows, allowing ample light to permeate the public areas. Shared independent and assisted living amenities, including three dining rooms, a game lounge, library, and salon, look toward the well-appointed exterior space. A sunroom, lounge, dining area, and seven units within the memory care neighborhood face an enclosed outdoor courtyard with a circular walking path.
The holistic design allows for the delivery of highly personalized and proactive resident care with a wellness approach that emphasizes the importance of state-of-the-art amenities, including an indoor pool, on-site physical therapy and fitness programs, golf simulator, craft room, and a theater/chapel space. To keep residents safe while socially connected, the community also provides a visitation suite permitting visitors direct entry with a glass wall and dedicated HVAC system, allowing for face-to-face interaction.
The Mary E. Wells School was originally designed by the renowned architectural firm Peabody and Sterns and built in two phases between 1916 and 1923, with a modest addition to the rear of the building in the 1980s. As the first public high school in Southbridge, Massachusetts, it functioned continuously as an educational building for nearly a century until it was vacated in 2012. The firm adapted the 117,655 square foot structure into the award-winning Residences at Wells School, a residential community comprised of 62 light-filled one-and two-bedroom units for seniors 55 and older.
This $25.3M mixed-income community features a fitness and yoga studio, activity room, movie theater, game room, wellness suite, a library with private work pods, and in-house laundry facilities. The innovative program includes a grandchildren’s play area, a generous interior landscaped courtyard, and the adaptation of the existing school hallway into a circulation corridor for residents. Sustainable design strategies improved the building’s thermal structure, envelop density, and air infiltration system resulting in its certification as an Enterprise Green Community.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the school’s historic character has been thoughtfully preserved and restored with creative nods back to its original use, including exposed brick walls, original school lockers, a repurposed gymnasium floor in the tenant lounge and fitness spaces, and the reuse of the sports scoreboard as an ornamental fixture. The interior design approach incorporates rich tones of blue and gray throughout accented by black metal finishes and mid-century modern furnishings with bold colors and patterns. Batten wall millwork is featured in the lobby and resident lounge with a combination of light and darker wood tones for added warmth. The nostalgic artwork is a collection of local historic photography, original images of the former school, and yearbook memorabilia.
The development provides much-needed housing for local seniors at all income levels. The community includes four units designated for clients of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, four units for physically disabled residents, and another three units for those with sensory impairments.
The 12-acre, transit-oriented Clippership Wharf is sited along East Boston’s Waterfront in the heart of Jeffries Point, offering sweeping views of the Boston skyline. Certified LEED for Homes Platinum, the master plan was conceived as four buildings and designed in accordance with the guidelines of Climate Ready Boston, a city initiative to adapt to the effects of climate change.
With a total of 478 residential units, 8,000 square feet of retail, 298 private and public underground parking spaces, this mixed-use community reintroduces the extensive waterfront back into the public realm. The configuration was conceived to create a pedestrian sequence to frame views of downtown and tell a story as one walks toward the water. The first phase introduces 80 condominiums at Slip65 and 284 units at Clippership Apartments on the Wharf, and the second phase brings 114 condominiums to Slip45.
The interiors emphasize resident wellbeing and sensory connections to nature with living green walls, vistas to the waterfront, and calming blue nautical motifs. Layered elements such as brick, exposed wood, and the pairing of different materials and finishes create compelling focal points, a sense of depth, and allow for dynamic moments of interest. Amenities include multiple waterfront lounges with kitchenettes and entertainment, flexible workspaces, an art gallery, a fitness center, and a child’s play area. The program includes a 1,400-foot long Harborwalk, a dog park, on-site sculptural work and the ClipArt Gallery, a floating dock for a kayak launch, and a living shoreline reintroducing natural flora and fauna to the Boston Harbor.
As one of Worcester’s iconic downtown buildings, the old Worcester County Courthouse has proudly stood at the gateway to the city’s historic institutional district since the 19th century. The original two-story, granite building constructed in 1843, contained just one formal courtroom with a handful of ancillary spaces to support the local community’s daily judicial system. As the city grew over the next century, the building also expanded with three distinct additions built in 1878 and 1898 (Old Courthouse), and then most recently in 1955 (Annex). Each addition reflected the current design aesthetic and construction techniques of its associated era. Converting this landmark to residential use with 118 units required a thoughtful, respectful, and comprehensive vision.
In addition to the typical façade, fenestration, and roof restoration considerations that historic buildings must undergo, careful design attention was required by National Park Service and Massachusetts Historical Commission to preserve courtrooms from each era of construction, along with restoring main entry spaces, circulation corridors, stairs, ceilings, flooring, stained glass, and spatial volumes. The deep floor plate of the Old Courthouse was a direct result of the multiple additions, and left many internal spaces lacking daylight. To bring natural light back into the core of the building, as necessary to maximize residential units, the design team created two interior courtyards by opening back up previous floor infills. When the 1955 Annex addition was constructed, it infilled a third location between the 1878 and 1898 additions. This floor infill was also removed, opening the original 19th century granite facades up to the sky after being hidden for 70 years, and pouring natural light into the knuckle of the building.
One major challenge for the design team was converting the very complicated circulation path of a courthouse into meaningful and useful residential circulation while meeting present day code requirements. Some of the original 32 stairs were maintained and restored, while others were demolished and infilled to create usable square footage. Similarly, careful consideration was necessary in highly ornate retained historic spaces while installing updated mechanical and electrical systems and introducing a sprinkler system to the building for the first time in its history.
The largest retained historic courtroom and grand common spaces with ornate wood moldings and details in the Old Courthouse are converted into unique residential amenity areas, while other salvaged courtrooms are restored and converted into residential units full of character. The mid-century modern design aesthetic of the 1955 Annex is maintained through its restored blush-toned marble cladding in the hallways and new expansive low-E glass curtainwall windows of the loft units, custom designed to match the original curtainwall configuration.
A public museum space honoring cyclist Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor is located on the first floor of the 1878 addition, directly off the Worcester’s historic Main Street. An alley of original flowering trees guides visitors from the sidewalk to the historic building entrance and into the world of a local Worcester hero who strived to break down racial barriers at the turn of the 20th century.
The $50 million rehabilitation of Skyview Downtown modernizes four outdated structures into a prominent and contemporary mixed-use asset, advancing the renaissance of Springfield, MA. Initially built in the 1970s, the multi-building campus includes a 33-story tower with a connected four-level parking garage, an 18-story building, and a nine-story building that connects to a five-story structure via a two-level parking garage. Included in the design scope is a new Springfield Police Department substation. The original campus was planned as a quadrangle by Frederick Law Olmsted, envisioned to reconnect the Washington arsenal to the riverfront, creating active pedestrian traffic and a gateway to the city.
Of the 489 units, 412 are affordable to households earning at or below 60% of the area median income (AMI), with 241 of those units receiving additional support from a project-based Section 8 rental assistance contract. The remaining 77 units are workforce housing units, affordable to households earning at or below 85% of AMI. Extensive renovation work involved enhancements to the building envelope, streetscape improvements, and the replacement of HVAC systems, windows, and elevators. Interior modifications modernized a large common area that overlooks the new MGM casino and provides residents with a new management center, mailroom, computer lounge, children’s playroom, and fitness center with views of the historic district. Unit refurbishments included bringing 25 units up to ADA standards for mobility-impaired households and 10 units for the hearing-impaired.
The property includes 19,000 square feet of newly renovated commercial space and is located just blocks from the Andrew Carnegie Museum, the library complex, retail, and walking trails. Local artists were commissioned to complete “then and now” portraits along the garage and retail storefronts, featuring inspirational people from the city’s past paired with a young person living in Springfield today.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Sibley Building, now known as Sibley Square, has been transformed into a vibrant, mixed-use urban center including multifamily, commercial, and retail space. This landmark building, topped by a neoclassical clock tower and featuring tawny Roman-style brick walls, occupies an entire block in downtown Rochester and spans 1.1M square feet. The design and programming, played out incrementally for more than a decade, gained several hundred thousand square feet of office space, and nearly 200 units. Once one of the most prominent department stores in the nation, the iconic structure provides an array of public and private destinations: art galleries, retail shops, adult and child daycare services, cafes, a fitness center, and an expansive roof deck. With more than 23 acres of floor space, this reimagined building is at the heart of the economic rebirth in downtown Rochester and is home to the University of Rochester’s high-tech incubator, NextCorps. Many of the iconic art deco details have been preserved, from the bas-relief sculpture above the original elevator doors to the tri-line pattern on the escalator, and the defining halo ceilings at each entrance. Mahogany panels, modern art, and original photography define the clean, bright, and welcoming lobby space. With short walks to public transit, access to parks, proximity to entertainment, and flexible interior configurations, Sibley Square serves as a catalyst for the rejuvenation of an entire city core into a dynamic, placemaking destination.
Situated between a medical center and a single-family residential district, Avalon Old Bridge is a compact, pedestrian-friendly community thoughtfully sited on 20 acres of a larger 101-acre site. Preserving the surrounding natural woodlands, this 252 unit Energy Star-certified development features a diverse mix of two- and three-story small-scale housing types, including 11 townhome buildings, six buildings with stacked flats, and a single courtyard building with elevator access. Complementary to the scale and character of the surrounding area, the buildings are designed to contribute towards attractive, coherent, and walkable streets with the incorporation of front entrances, well-proportioned windows, and architectural features such as balconies, bay windows, and gable ends.
The focal point of the master plan is a 6,400 square foot clubhouse designed to act as a neighborhood wellness hub and community center. Streets, walking paths, and view corridors are oriented toward this shared amenity space, which includes an outdoor pool, resident lounge areas, grilling stations, a state-of-the-art fitness and yoga studio, playground, and dog park.
A sophisticated color palette of rich navy blues and teals combine with gold and black metal accents to create a dynamic and contemporary amenity space. Custom designed multi-dimensional and angular screen dividers distinguish programmatic areas, while vibrant color accents, artwork, and contrasting floor-to-ceiling finishes add unique elements to the overall aesthetic.
Both outdoor parking and garages are located to the rear of structures so as not to compromise the quality, interest, or presence of the buildings, particularly when viewed from the streets and open spaces.
In 1939, at 1.1 million square feet of space, Sibley’s was the largest department store between New York and Chicago. Artfully restored to new use, the novel, bold theater-style marquee entrance serves as the grand entry to The Mercantile on Main, which thoughtfully blends art deco era details within a modern food hall communal space. The Mercantile offers a highly curated and visually appealing experience to showcase local restaurants while realizing a larger vision for the surrounding downtown’s ongoing revitalization.
Embodying a refined brand aesthetic – elegantly restrained and more intentional than most hyper-eclectic food halls – The Mercantile on Main’s dynamic four-sided bar anchors the space and serves as the social hub. Incorporating a layered palette that combines a myriad of colors and textures on every plane, the interiors successfully pay tribute to the past while simultaneously imparting a forward-looking approach. Contemporary materials create a vibrant, authentic, and welcoming vibe. The classic Rochester line, “Meet me under the clock” is given meaning again by re-suspending the historic copper clock in a place of prominence within the food court. A thoughtful selection of dining and lounge furniture extends the warm, inviting palette and provides visitors with a variety of ways to engage with the reimagined space
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Built in the late 1800s, Preserve North Residences was originally home to the AC Lawrence Leather Company. The property was converted into affordable housing in the 1970s. The recent $49.3 million rehabilitation involves extensive exterior renovation and improvements to 284 units across a series of three mid-rise buildings and a seven-story structure, totaling more than 289,000 square feet. Comprehensive improvements include roof replacement, new plumbing, LED fixtures, select Energy Star appliances, low VOC paints, flooring, kitchen and cabinetry upgrades, and a new milled and resurfaced parking lot.
The focal point of the campus is a Federal-style three-story historic building, with two original enclosed pedestrian walkways connected to adjacent mills, reconfigured to accommodate a new fitness center, movie theater, and other resident amenities. The largest mill structure on this six-acre property is demarcated by black steel framed buttresses, with private resident patios allowing for direct access to Proctor Pond via a newly landscaped green space.
Grand ceilings, exposed brick and beams, and plank flooring combine with modern aesthetics to create an inviting atmosphere that blends elements of the building’s historic use as a leather tannery with contemporary finishes, warm neutral tones, and accents of vibrant hues. Residents are encouraged to gather, work, and play in the artfully redesigned community which also features a new dog park, and accessible courtyard. Preserve North Residences successfully maintains Peabody’s affordable housing stock for a new generation.
Located on floors two through five of Sibley Square, Liberty Lofts completes the 350,000 square foot residential component of the rehabilitated mixed-use urban development. The 104 units, comprised of studios, one-, and two-bedrooms, artfully blend historic finishes and millwork with modern craftsmanship. Liberty Lofts at Sibley Square serves a diverse income range that targets middle-income households. Of the 104 units, 53 are available at rents of up to 60% of the area median income (AMI), three units are available at rents up to 100% of AMI, and 48 units are available at rents of up to 110% of AMI.
Complementing the historic character of the original Sibley building while creating a modern atmosphere, the amenity spaces at Liberty Lofts at Sibley Square feature an eclectic color palette, wood tones, industrial lighting, and vibrant artwork. A common flex space serves as the primary amenity area and provides residents with workstations, room for lounging, and entertainment zones. Other amenities include a fitness center, kid’s play area, and common laundry on each floor.
Located on East Boston’s waterfront, Harborwalk Residences and Harbor125 Apartments is a new mixed-income multifamily community that replaces decades-old public housing. Offering 52 units, including 22 affordable homes and 30 mixed-income condominiums, the transit-oriented development reconnects East Boston’s Maverick Square neighborhood to the Boston Harbor waterfront. Carefully graded and elevated, the structures are sited on a raised berm above the flood plain, with a gentle slope ensuring full accessibility. The plain brings restored view corridors and adds new streets and pedestrian passageways, where scattered garden-apartment-style buildings had previously formed a barrier separating the city from the shore.
Given the primarily low-rise, wood-and-masonry surroundings, both new three-story buildings are clad in contextually appropriate materials ranging from clapboard siding to masonry-like cement fiber panels. The result is a seamless transition from the older urban fabric to more contemporary developments along the water’s edge.
Amenities include over 4,400 square feet of valuable community-focused retail space and gathering areas, publicly accessible bike storage facilities, and resident-only terraces with sweeping views of the Boston skyline. The bright, airy interiors offer high-quality finishes and a sophisticated color palette of rich navy blues and gray to create a contemporary amenity space. In a nod to the close-knit neighborhood’s history, the lounge incorporates a mural evocative of one that once appeared on the previous building’s façade.
Located in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, Hearth at Four Corners is a 62+ age-restricted community providing safe and supportive affordable units for low-income seniors and those at risk of homelessness. This new 50,000 square foot, four-story wood framed, transit-oriented development activates a formerly vacant lot. The property abuts a MBTA commuter rail to the east, an affordable complex to the north, and faces an established residential neighborhood with triple-decker and Victorian-style houses.
With a total of 54 units, this transitional style L-shaped structure sits on a plateau overlooking the city of Boston, featuring a public plaza at the main entry. Designed with a brick masonry base and shingle siding, the facade transitions to flat panels and floor-to-ceiling windows. The large glass center volume houses commercial space, a community room and kitchen, a fitness center, activity space, and central laundry for residents. The community room seamlessly connects to a light-filled patio creating a functional indoor-outdoor extension of living space. An inviting palette of medium-saturated green and jewel-teal combine with warm finishes and colorful, contemporary artwork to provide a vibrant yet tranquil environment.
Designed to be LEED Gold Certifiable, Hearth at Four Corners provides 24/7 access to on-site concierge services and is ideally located in close proximity to shopping, dining, medical facilities, banking, and other city services. TAT collaborated with D/R/E/A/M Collaborative, fulfilling a major need for attainable senior housing options.
Originally constructed in 1895, The Walker School is the historic adaptive reuse of a former elementary school into 40 units of affordable housing for seniors aged 62 and older. A three-story brick Georgian Revival building with a hip roof, and a facade 11 bays wide, is organized in a four-three-four window pattern. The main entrance is in the center bay, set in a round-arch opening, with flanking bays featuring small oval windows. A compatible addition was added in 1924 to accommodate increased enrollment. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the former school remained vacant for nearly a decade prior to its rehabilitation.
Artfully restoring the structure for new use, the firm converted 16 light-filled historic classrooms into one-bedroom units. Classroom chalkboards, storage hutches, and large vertical closet doors complete with pulley systems are preserved within units. Exacting efforts include the restoration of the wood wainscotting in the corridors along with the original wood flooring throughout. A three-story, 20,660 square foot contemporary addition, comprised of brick at the ground level and stucco at the upper two levels, houses the remaining 24 units.
The school’s wide-set, spacious corridors allow ample resident seating and congregating spaces to increase socialization, ambulation, and wellbeing. Resident amenities include a community room with a kitchenette, a mailroom, laundry facilities, and on-site management offices. The property is located near the Weir Village Riverfront Park and the Taunton River, and is serviced by the Greater Taunton Regional Transit Authority bus line, which provides access to regional stores and amenities.
A new 78 unit transit-oriented, mixed-income multifamily community built on a once-vacant MBTA parcel in Jamaica Plain. This five-story contemporary building has two distinct vocabularies. Direct-entries, lap siding, and repetitive sawtooth bays along Hyde Park Avenue provide a human-scale rhythm and materiality sympathetic to the adjacent triple-decker apartment buildings common to the neighborhood. The structure’s massing culminates in a larger, more formal and public scale along Ukraine Way, appropriate for its siting along the southwest corridor commuter rail viaduct.
The lobby fronting on Hyde Park Avenue provides pedestrian access to the residential apartments and associated amenities. A second egress from the first floor opens to a new pocket park that is available to the public. With more than 1,600 square feet of ground-floor retail and 2,500 square feet of community space, amenities for tenants include a fitness room, a common lounge, bicycle storage, top floor deck, outdoor play area, and a dog walk. The 84,658 square foot community provides 38 workforce housing units and 40 affordable units for households earning at or below 60% of area median income. Eight of these affordable units are set-aside for formerly homeless families who earn at or below 30% area median income.
Lively and inviting interior spaces are informed and inspired by proximate landmarks. The hexagonal shape is a unifying design element, complemented by the custom tile pattern in the lobby, which artfully interprets the topography of Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum. A palette of gold, teal, and chartreuse combine with black metal accents, colorful artwork, warm toned wood, and touches of gray to provide a fresh, bold interior environment.
Acting as a buffer between the rail lines and the surrounding context, A.O. Flats at Forest Hills employs environmentally friendly features throughout and is LEED-Homes Platinum Certifiable. Part of a larger master planned development, this third phase was designed in collaboration with Associate Architect, Stephen Chung.
A new affordable independent living community featuring 64 one-bedroom units for seniors aged 62+ offers a comprehensive array of resident amenities. Sited in a quaint tree-lined residential area, the design incorporates thoughtful details throughout, open floor plans with abundant natural light, and onsite parking. An inviting tenant lounge with custom millwork, stone fireplace, and rich navy tones paired with warm terracotta hues combine for an ultra-relaxing aesthetic. A fitness room provides tenants access to indoor activity, while close proximity to parks, walking trails, retail, and restaurants provide ample social engagement.
The Tyler, a mixed-income community for seniors, is the first adaptive reuse project in the United States designed to adhere to the Passive House Institute’s EnerPHit program standards with applicable historic exclusions. The three-story core of the 84-year-old former East Haven High School features 70 apartments for individuals aged 55+, a resident lounge, on-site management office, fitness center, community kitchen, entertainment space, craft room, reading nook, and outdoor courtyard.
The original school, which was decommissioned in the late 1990s, was an interconnected, multi-building campus comprised of a central classroom and administration building, an auditorium, and a boiler plant – all built in 1936. A west wing classroom addition was created in 1964, and in 1973 an east wing classroom along with a southern-facing gym and pool building were added. The $21.5M redevelopment is strategically designed to respect the layout of the original program space by utilizing former light-filled classrooms for units and maintaining the expansive, central corridors typically found in educational facilities of this era. As part of the transformation, the east wing was razed and replaced with a landscaped courtyard and surface parking lot for tenant use. The existing auditorium, gym, and pool buildings remain under ownership of the Town of East Haven and are being repurposed for community use.
The interiors feature refreshing hues of blue and warm grays combined with a palette of lively, energetic coral to enhance the common areas and create a dynamic and uplifting atmosphere. Vibrant artwork, intended to connote the liveliness of a bustling school, is featured in the community kitchen and throughout the hallways. The design incorporates new and old by bringing the past and present together; contemporary units with energy-efficient windows and appliances are combined with the building’s historic details such as millwork, original lockers, display cases with local artifacts, and a stately brick façade.
The 104,871 square foot property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was recently named as the nation’s Best Overall Development and Green Building of the Year in Affordable Housing Finance magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Residences at Brighton Marine is a 102 unit LEED Gold Certified veterans’ supportive housing community located in the city’s growing Allston-Brighton neighborhood. The $46M transit-oriented project was master planned and designed for WinnDevelopment and Brighton Marine, a non-profit established to support veterans and their dependents. With a full complement of onsite clinical, behavioral health, and family services coupled with a variety of mixed-income and permanent supportive apartment homes for different veteran populations — including those with families and the formerly homeless — the new community is one of the largest veterans’ developments nationwide, and the first such complex of this scale to open in Boston since World War II.
Residences at Brighton Marine combines a new six-story building with an adapted historic structure to form a 1.44-acre campus with 11 studios, 47 one-bedroom units, 33 two-bedrooms, and 11 three-bedroom units. The project’s design is inspired by the neighborhood’s historic architecture, particularly the animated bay fronts that characterize nearby streets. The building facades are composed of residential-scale windows and large sawtooth-style bays that are capped by a striking cornice that mirrors the angular shape of the bays, enhancing the building’s character and identity. The bays give the exterior its distinctive serrated form and transform the otherwise modest apartment layouts into dynamic living spaces seeming to extend beyond the boundaries of the exterior walls – ensuring nearly every unit has multi-directional views of the city.
Primary interior amenities face a large south-facing courtyard in the center of the campus which include a community-sponsored wellness office, a flex space that can be furnished as a classroom or general meeting area, a large gym, and theater room. The bright, airy interiors offer high-quality finishes, extensive artwork, and mural installations. An onsite garage parking and 104 covered bike spaces are available to residents.
One Chestnut Place, the city’s tallest tower, is a new 156,000 gross square foot high-rise luxury apartment building offering views of downtown Boston and Quincy Bay. The 15-story cast-in-place concrete mixed-use infill development includes 140 market rate units comprised of one- and two-bedrooms and 4,000 square feet of ground floor retail. The majority of the units are organized around the south and north facades; south-facing units utilize solar incidence while north-facing units have vistas to the water.
Modern materials combine with classical elements to create a contemporary principal of hierarchy design approach. The texture, grain, and color of the tower’s panelized façade accentuate a base, middle, and top composition. The first three floors utilize carefully selected earth-colored Mega-Panels to relate and integrate the building into its neighboring context. Natural-colored Mega-Panels form the exterior’s middle massing with a deeply sanded surface – brought to life by the colorful accents in the windows. To emphasize the verticality of the building, a deep slate gray color is utilized on the top two floors. Exacting panel sizes were pre-established in collaboration with the construction team to achieve the goal of installing one floor per week and, despite COVID-19 roadblocks, the project was completed two months ahead of schedule. High-definition videos were derived from a drone survey to aid in the building’s exterior punch list, harnessing technology to mitigate pandemic restrictions.
A range of warm deep-tone grays combine with a mix of metal finishes to anchor this interior design aesthetic and are elegantly punctuated by a dramatic stone wall upon entry. Cove lighting is used throughout to highlight materials and custom millwork. The clubroom embodies an edgy, cool atmosphere with dark finishes and gold accents. A hospitality bar is nicely paired with adjacent banquette seating while workpods, gathering tables, and a touchdown counter provide flexibility for residents working from home. A secure parking garage, complete with bike storage, is accessed through the main lobby and provides a below grade connection to the newly constructed City of Quincy garage, allowing residents a private connection to their parking space. Located five minutes from the Quincy Center MBTA station, the transit-oriented development offers residents convenient access to local shops and restaurants.
A strategic infill development on Main Street in downtown Westport, this new luxury community offers 69 assisted living and 27 memory care units for seniors. Modern and refined, The Residence at Westport employs an innovative multi-level program with intricate geometry, scale, and detailing. Serving as an extension of the neighborhood, the design features locally quarried granite and stone seating walls which frame the building and complement the adjacent condominium and commercial properties.
A primary site constraint was the 35-foot height restriction, which required a unique design solution consisting of a noncombustible 90,000 square foot steel structure with a peaked occupied roof. Borrowing aesthetically from the American Craftsman style, the project features a wrap-around porch and entry supported by heavy cedar wood framing accents, tapered shingle columns, stone veneer chimneys, covered resident terraces, and trellises. The building’s form is thoughtfully oriented to avoid dominating the main street frontage and maximize views of the landscaped grounds. The shorter wing of the building faces east and the longer wing runs east to west to minimize resident travel distances. Third floor dormers further reduce the building’s overall expanse and create a true residential-scale. The dormers include units with cathedral ceilings executed with light gauge trusses and structural steel to create the equivalent of its wood counterpart.
The entry sequence is designed around a classic two-story grand stair and café lounge with vistas to a landscaped terrace and walking paths. Reclaimed wood and steel elements combine to create an open and invigorating environment. Intricate space planning elegantly places the amenity areas as extensions of one another, encouraging movement and engagement. A nautical palette of blues and grays exude a calming environment that reinforces the expressive coastal vernacular. The customized interior detailing and artwork integrated with the upscale finishes, furniture, and lighting come together to create a refined aesthetic. The concierge wing, located on the second floor, is reserved for residents favoring customized 24/7 services.
With an inviting street presence, this new $33 million six-story, mixed-use infill development reimagines a vacant lot located near Johnson & Wales University at the crossroads of Downtown Providence and the Innovation & Design District. The 111,300 square foot multifamily community creates 92 one-, two-, and three-bedroom luxury units with more than 5,800 square feet of street-level retail. This contextual yet modern development serves as a gateway and hub, tying together previously disparate city districts with a vital mix of uses while activating an underutilized asset for the city. The industrial-influenced interiors feature exposed ductwork, unfinished concrete-simulated tile, robust geometric shapes and rich metal finishes while creating an expression of warmth with saturated color, abstract art, and comfortable furniture choices. A custom wallcovering in the mailroom depicts landmark structures and monuments in Providence. Amenities include an expansive fitness center, three roof terraces, and 27 covered parking spaces. To supplement the supply of Brown University’s housing and to de-densify the campus, the University is leasing space at Chestnut Commons for student housing needs.
Located 20 miles north of Pittsburg, this new four-story, 174,000 square foot community offers a comprehensive continuum of care with a mix of 80 independent, 60 assisted living and 32 memory care units. Set back from the main thoroughfare on a plateau adjacent to a wooded hillside, the architectural styling honors the area’s industrial past with exposed structural steel accents, cement board paneling and siding, brick masonry, and cedar wood details. A series of architectural three-story colored frames disperse the overall massing into discrete facade elements that include oversized resident windows and dedicated inset balconies.
The design is anchored around two large interior courtyards. Common areas for both independent/assisted living and memory care residents are centered on these large outdoor amenity spaces, which loosely take the form of a looping figure eight. Upon entry, the light-filled lounge and grab-and-go café imbue a boutique-like environment. A contemporary open concept layout activates the amenity spaces with double height vistas to the interior courtyard. The great room’s oversized storefront glass wall provides residents and family members with a remarkable light-filled space to socialize and connect – supporting a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Resident mobility is encouraged through the use of a unified aesthetic with customized millwork and a rich palette of blue and copper hues throughout. Innovative programmatic design solutions allow for shared independent and assisted living amenity spaces, including a fitness center and pool, theater, salon, library, game room, and wellness center. Several dining venues offer both formal and bistro-style options with various seating areas. Outdoor spaces are complete with terraces for bocce, putting, barbeque, sunning, and private at-grade patios.
The memory care wing is designed to minimize overstimulation with a calming blue and orange palette, natural light, and views of the secure outdoor walking trail. There are four memory care neighborhoods with a looping circulation around a central courtyard, which include the resident lounge, dining room, and sunroom. The layout is carefully arranged to provide natural wayfinding to mitigate unnecessary stress and create a positive, fulfilled experience for residents.
This new 90 unit assisted living community with an advanced memory care component, embraces a hospitality-inspired approach with functionality akin to a luxury resort. Set on a small, sloping site abutting a large wooded area and wetlands preserve, the three-story, 90,000 square foot property cleverly harmonizes with the scale and character of historic Hingham.
With shingled siding and a series of repeating gambrel and pitched-roof elements, the expressive aesthetic recalls classic long and low New England architecture – creating the appearance of a smaller, two-story structure that gracefully meets Hingham’s 35-foot height restriction. The resulting design emulates the roof line of nearby properties, amounting to an occupied roof and a building composed entirely of structural steel. The L-shaped building’s second floor is thoughtfully designed to slope over the donut-shaped memory care wing, located at the garden level of the community. A material palette of gray shingles with white trim, attractive double-hung windows, inset balconies and a copper-clad cupola reinforce the expressive coastal vernacular.
Upon entry, sightlines to the clearstory windows frame the memory care courtyard below allowing for daylight to penetrate the 300-foot-long main circulation spine – with amenity spaces stemming off this principal design element. A central two-story grand stair creates a focal point for resident circulation and connects floor levels to the common areas of the building. Shiplap, inlayed wood ceilings, fresh coastal-inspired colors and nautical influences are used throughout. Honoring the locations’ unique artistic culture, The Residence at Penniman Hill features an extensive art collection of more than 200 works. Amenities include entertainment and lounge spaces, library, salon, private and bistro style dining, fitness area, outdoor terraces and walking paths. Abundant hydrangea gardens, navy blue accents, and brick walkways complete the aesthetic.
The facility achieved Silver status from National Green Building Standard (NGBS) demonstrating its high-performance and efficiency, while also meeting additional Massachusetts Stretch Code requirements.
Avalon Saugus is a new, mixed-use community featuring 280 luxury apartments located twelve miles outside of Boston along the popular Route 1 corridor in Saugus, MA. The firm’s master plan for this 14-acre landmark property replaces the former renowned Hilltop Steakhouse with three four-story multifamily buildings, each designed with a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. In the community’s center, a clubhouse structure offers a wide range of shared tenant amenities, including ample outdoor space with a landscaped courtyard, pool, fire pit, grills, and dog park. Located at the base of an extended entryway, the clubhouse’s lofty entry porch and butterfly roof present an eye-catching focal point for Avalon Saugus. The community’s buildings integrate red shingled gable roofs with broad overhanging eaves and two-story bay windows flanked top and bottom with strong horizontal bands, providing a distinctive blend of traditional New England forms and modern details. The 23,600+ square feet of retail space was designed by HFA.
Bringing together traditional design motifs and contemporary forms, the interior clubhouse common spaces reflect the site’s legendary history through the use of local imagery and archival photos combined with bold accents of primary color, custom fixtures, and neon light strips. The high-level of fit and finish includes New England-sourced red oak live-edge tables, custom mosaic banquettes, a two-story, reclaimed wood façade fireplace, and expansive 10-foot doors and windows. The connection to its celebrated context is further commemorated through preservation of the iconic neon Hilltop Steakhouse cactus sign that remains on site.
The Union at 48 Boylston is the $31.2M preservation and rehabilitation of the former Boston Young Men’s Christian Union (BYMCU) building, originally constructed in 1875 and home to a nonprofit of the same name. The Union at 48 Boylston is the most accomplished building in the High Victorian Gothic idiom remaining in Boston and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The development provides 46 units of affordable housing, including 25 targeted to those who have experienced homelessness – serving some of the most vulnerable in a gentrifying neighborhood. The project includes 12,000 square feet for St. Francis House’s administrative offices and a substance abuse counseling program. In addition, the Urban Hound at St. Francis House, a dog day care and grooming venture, provides job training and employment opportunities for residents and clients.
This state-of-the-art, 92,000 square foot community offers 84 assisted and memory care apartments for local seniors. Designed with a modern palette including high-end woods, tile, and custom light fixtures, along with a range of amenities common to boutique hospitality properties, TAT’s approach sets a new standard for the level of programming and finishes. The assisted living unit mix includes studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes, each with its own kitchenette. The development offers a bistro for gatherings, theater, recreation and athletic facilities. A dedicated memory care wing is designed to the same high level of fit and finish, offering its own common areas and walking courtyard.
The second phase of an exciting waterfront residential community, Avalon Residences at the Hingham Shipyard brings 190 one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes and market-leading amenities to the historic Hingham Shipyard on the southern shore of a scenic bay just outside Boston. Designed in a coastal style with a mix of shingle siding and contrasting dark metal façade elements, the 350,000 SF structure blends classic New England architectural cues with a modern attitude, ensuring an approachable presence that complements both the surrounding shipyard and neighboring residential community.
With four residential stories set above a podium base marked by a series of landscaped courtyards, the project makes the most of its waterfront setting, offering numerous opportunities for seamless indoor/outdoor connection. TAT’s amenity program reflects a thoughtful approach to coastal living, placing a roof deck and tenant clubhouse on the fifth floor to maximize views. At ground level, the building wraps around courtyards and a large pool area featuring an attractive pavilion structure for gatherings and entertaining, accessible to all tenants. Light and airy interior amenity spaces include a common area with floor-to-ceiling windows, custom millwork and furnishings, and Carrara marble fireplace and wall treatments, as well as a fitness center and pet spa. Individual units offer a similarly high level of fit and finish, including brass backsplashes, stainless steel appliances, wide-plank flooring, and large-format windows for plentiful natural daylight. In addition to ample on-site parking within the podium base, Avalon Residences at the Hingham Shipyard also offers easy access to MBTA commuter rail and other public transit including ferry service.
The adaptive reuse of this former shoe and leather factory reactivates a prominent downtown site with 62 units of affordable housing. Originally constructed in 1918, this eight-story building remained vacant for a number of years, and local leaders consider its transformation an important step in Haverhill’s revitalization and goal of expanding rental housing options.
TAT’s design vision respects the historic character of the attractive concrete-and-masonry structure, while crafting a contemporary living experience with a mix of 15 one-bedroom, 41 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom units. Restored original elements include the large six-foot-high windows stretching the full width of each structural bay along with exposed concrete ceilings, columns, beams, terracotta block walls, wood floors and the original elevator doors that have become focal points of each floor. Amenities include a community room, fitness center, bike storage, children’s playroom, and laundry room. Located within walking distance to the commuter rail and major bus lines, 98 Essex Apartments is the latest in a line of major recent projects transforming downtown Haverhill, including TAT’s recently completed Harbor Place, just a few blocks away on the Merrimack River. As part of MassHousing’s pioneering $100 million Workforce Housing initiative, seven apartments are reserved for formerly homeless families and six are workforce housing units for moderate income residents.
This historic conversion artfully transforms a sprawling four-story jewelry factory, originally built in 1891 by Watson, Newell & Co, into 91 mixed-income units for active adults age 55+. Designed, constructed and commissioned as an Enterprise Green Community (EGC), the firm’s sensitive design approach involved the rehabilitation of the original 139,365 square foot brick structure and a series of later additions. Exacting preservation efforts included the restoration of more than 350 original window openings, many of which had been hidden beneath siding. Other significant project work involved realigning floor heights between the building’s various wings, and raising the first floor by nine inches to mitigate potential flooding from the adjacent Ten Mile River.
Taking advantage of the building’s dramatic interior spaces, the team sought creative ways to encourage resident socialization. The former boiler room now serves as a unique double-height tenant lounge with exposed brick, steel structure, and timber ceilings that span 28 feet. Six original 5’x7’ wood windows, the original wood loading dock door, and cast-iron furnace doors were salvaged and rehabilitated to their original form, adding to the historic fabric of the renovated building. A variety of furniture configurations provide seniors with socialization preferences; strategically placed clusters invite interactions, which convert long corridors into new gathering areas for informal engagement. The light-filled lounge features a community kitchen, TV nook, and game area. Additional amenity spaces include a computer room and library, theater, and fitness/yoga area. The community’s 75 one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom units, feature design elements such as original steel and wood beams and columns, exposed brick, and wide-plank wood ceilings. Artwork and interior details are inspired by antique sterling-silver patterns, industrial machinery, and artifacts found onsite. Nature-derived colors create visual interest and enliven the environment by adding vibrant hues throughout.
Located on an 8.8 acre wooded riverfront site, Sterling Lofts is tastefully appointed with native plantings and provides ample opportunities for outdoor activity. Patio seating and a grilling area adjacent to the tenant lounge lead to a walking path that extends down to the water’s edge. The property also includes a 5,000 square foot programming space intended for an Adult Day Health Center for tenants and the surrounding community.
Located in downtown White Plains, this new $60M state-of-the-art 5-story rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility is designed to connect residents and family members alike to a lively urban environment. The 110,000 square foot community serves a broad range of medically complex patients and consists of 42 long-term skilled nursing beds, 76 subacute care beds and a 42 bed Memory Care neighborhood. The building is organized with efficient L-shaped neighborhoods designed to optimize travel distances, increase patient observability and maximize interaction. Patient rooms are clustered around the central amenity and service core with both traditional nurse stations at the sub-acute levels and the trending more casual care center for the long-term and Memory Care levels.
The main entrance – resembling a covered hotel arrival – and an outdoor dining terrace are located directly on the public street activating the city sidewalk. Each floor has two common areas in close proximity to a nursing station with expansive glass walls to the outside, designed specifically to accommodate sight lines from a wheelchair’s perspective. One common area is open to the street corner providing views to the surrounding city, while the other has a quieter focus on the green roof terraces of the second and third floors. Outdoor terraces and balconies are centrally located at each level while taking advantage of the sheltered and private side of the building.
First floor amenities include a lounge, lobby area, main dining room, private dining, multipurpose space and a barbershop and hair salon. Comprehensive rehabilitation spaces are located on two levels. The second floor houses a luxurious center easily accessible to and care-specific for the short-term subacute patients from floors two and three. The ground floor houses a more private facility catering to the needs of longer-term patients. The fourth floor is dedicated to Memory Care and the fifth floor is designed for long-term patients. All floors have family waiting areas, dining rooms and lounges with indoor/outdoor activity space.
Located on a bluff overlooking the serene Wrentham State Forest, Alexan Wrentham is a new multifamily community offering 240 mixed-income units across a series of three attractive mid-rise buildings. Designed to maximize views and offer easy access to hiking and biking trails, the complex site required extensive grading work and the construction of 30-foot-high retaining walls.
TAT’s design solution offers a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes equipped with balconies and high-end finishes including stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors. Each apartment also offers in-home washer/dryer units. A wide array of indoor/outdoor amenities allow residents to take full advantage of the bucolic setting, and range from on-site fitness and yoga center, to a gaming area, work and conference space, pool, dog run, and an outdoor grilling station, game lawn and fire pit. As the anchor project of a larger 50+ acre mixed-use development with walkable restaurants, a hotel, and access to highways and public transit, The Point at Wrentham epitomizes the contemporary lifestyle community.
Located at a prominent Main Street intersection in downtown Worcester, this formerly vacant eight-story, 105,000 square foot historic office building is a key element of the city’s ongoing revitalization. TAT’s sensitive adaptive reuse and renovation creates 55 mixed-income units, including 14 workforce housing apartments funded by Massachusetts’ pioneering Workforce Housing Initiative, as well as a vibrant mix of ground-floor retail uses.
Originally constructed in 1925, the Classical Revival-style building is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Preservation work included a full restoration of the limestone façade and grand, vaulted entry, highlighted by refurbished historic pink and cream marble and terrazzo floors and framed by cove lighting along with brass and crystal lighting fixtures. The project team also restored copper and brass detailing on cornices, entry and elevator vestibules, and window surrounds. New, historically accurate windows and storefront assemblies maintain The Central Building’s original aesthetic appeal, while adding modern functionality. At mailrooms and other key areas, TAT’s interiors team preserved a prior renovation’s classic Midcentury Modern aesthetic, blending Classic Revival luxury with the chic flavor of midcentury wood paneling and streamlined furniture. The comprehensive revamp also cleverly integrates new mechanical, plumbing, and life safety systems, concealing them behind the building’s monumental barrel vault plaster ceilings.
For the residential conversion, the firm’s design approach gives careful attention to unit layouts, showcasing historically significant elements including marble elevator lobbies, plaster ceilings, and decorative trims. The unit mix includes one studio unit, 17 one-bedroom apartments, 34 two-bedroom apartments and three three-bedroom apartments. A compelling set of amenities takes full advantage of The Central Building’s impressive scale, and centers on a repurposed second-floor “Main Street” corridor, which serves as the central hub for communal activities. With a series of original skylights and ornamental pilasters left on display, TAT incorporated a new movie room, lounge, and community kitchenette to recreate this area as the “heart” of the building. Additional amenity spaces feature a bright, contemporary color and material palette, and include office areas with private work pods and high-end custom furnishings, a game room and play area with climbing wall, a pet spa, and a fully-equipped fitness center. With an advantageous location and design solutions that exceed the norm, local sources believe The Central Building will help Worcester become a true “18-hour city.”
A new 282 unit luxury apartment and mixed-use community at the corner of Arsenal and Irving streets in the thriving city of Watertown, MA. With more than 11,000 square feet of resident amenity space and structured parking for 420 cars, this development stretches 700+ feet and is designed to achieve LEED Gold and Energy Star Certification.
Elan Union Market has two buildings that are attached by an elegant, elevated glass walkway – a key defining feature of the project. The development includes an array of thoughtfully designed amenities including a modern clubhouse with a variety of social spaces, an entertainment kitchen, art gallery, yoga room, and top-of-the-line fitness equipment. The pet-friendly community offers open green space, multiple outdoor courtyards with grilling stations, a swimming pool with sun deck, as well as bicycle storage and repair stations. Shared indoor and outdoor community space includes a resident lounge with billiards and a tech center with meeting rooms, a coffee bar, and workspaces.
The use of earthen wood throughout adds depth, character, and warmth to the interior spaces while the splendor of a living green wall connects tenants to the natural environment. Affluent styling and familiar rich tones such as nutmeg, gold- and pewter-like metal finishes and slate blue hues against neutral stone define a contemporary-inspired style.
The 11,500 square feet of designated retail space sits across a shared driveway from a market on a contiguous lot creating a lively and engaging pedestrian connection from one site to the next. Running along the complex is a new sidewalk and a 10-foot-wide bicycle path, helping to link the Community Path to Watertown Square. A small parcel adjacent to the buildings has been converted into a park. The 480,000 square foot community offers residents easy access to shopping, popular restaurants, and recreation in the surrounding areas of Watertown, Waltham, Cambridge, and Boston.
A highly visible gateway project, this new mixed-use development, together with the TD Garden sports arena, frames the southbound approach to Boston from the landmark Leonard Zakim Bridge where the Charles River meets the Boston Harbor. The project, permitted under both Boston’s Article 80 Large Project Review as well as Massachusetts’ rigorous Chapter 91 licensing process, proposed the demolition of one of two existing nine-story industrial brick structures on the site, its replacement by a new 15-story tower, and the renovation and adaptive reuse of the remaining building. The certified LEED Gold design also includes the reconstruction of a 30,000 square foot wharf structure into a new waterfront plaza and construction of a 7,000 square foot wharf pavilion. The renovation portion of the project accommodates the new corporate headquarters for world-renown sneaker manufacturer, Converse, Inc. As master planner and architect-of-record for the new Lovejoy Wharf complex, the firm was also the Executive Architect for the exteriors of both the Converse retail store and the one-story recording studio, Rubber Tracks, which sit on the wharf structure itself.
This new 90 unit assisted living community with an advanced memory care component, embraces a hospitality-inspired approach with functionality akin to a luxury resort. Set on a small, sloping site abutting a large wooded area and wetlands preserve, the three-story, 90,000 square foot property cleverly harmonizes with the scale and character of historic Hingham.
With shingled siding and a series of repeating gambrel and pitched-roof elements, the expressive aesthetic recalls classic long and low New England architecture – creating the appearance of a smaller, two-story structure that gracefully meets Hingham’s 35-foot height restriction. The resulting design emulates the roof line of nearby properties, amounting to an occupied roof and a building composed entirely of structural steel. The L-shaped building’s second floor is thoughtfully designed to slope over the donut-shaped memory care wing, located at the garden level of the community. A material palette of gray shingles with white trim, attractive double-hung windows, inset balconies and a copper-clad cupola reinforce the expressive coastal vernacular.
Upon entry, sightlines to the clearstory windows frame the memory care courtyard below allowing for daylight to penetrate the 300-foot-long main circulation spine – with amenity spaces stemming off this principal design element. A central two-story grand stair creates a focal point for resident circulation and connects floor levels to the common areas of the building. Shiplap, inlayed wood ceilings, fresh coastal-inspired colors and nautical influences are used throughout. Honoring the locations’ unique artistic culture, The Residence at Penniman Hill features an extensive art collection of more than 200 works. Amenities include entertainment and lounge spaces, library, salon, private and bistro style dining, fitness area, outdoor terraces and walking paths. Abundant hydrangea gardens, navy blue accents, and brick walkways complete the aesthetic.
The facility achieved Silver status from National Green Building Standard (NGBS) demonstrating its high-performance and efficiency, while also meeting additional Massachusetts Stretch Code requirements.
The 12-acre, transit-oriented Clippership Wharf is sited along East Boston’s Waterfront in the heart of Jeffries Point, offering sweeping views of the Boston skyline. Certified LEED for Homes Platinum, the master plan was conceived as four buildings and designed in accordance with the guidelines of Climate Ready Boston, a city initiative to adapt to the effects of climate change.
With a total of 478 residential units, 8,000 square feet of retail, 298 private and public underground parking spaces, this mixed-use community reintroduces the extensive waterfront back into the public realm. The configuration was conceived to create a pedestrian sequence to frame views of downtown and tell a story as one walks toward the water. The first phase introduces 80 condominiums at Slip65 and 284 units at Clippership Apartments on the Wharf, and the second phase brings 114 condominiums to Slip45.
The interiors emphasize resident wellbeing and sensory connections to nature with living green walls, vistas to the waterfront, and calming blue nautical motifs. Layered elements such as brick, exposed wood, and the pairing of different materials and finishes create compelling focal points, a sense of depth, and allow for dynamic moments of interest. Amenities include multiple waterfront lounges with kitchenettes and entertainment, flexible workspaces, an art gallery, a fitness center, and a child’s play area. The program includes a 1,400-foot long Harborwalk, a dog park, on-site sculptural work and the ClipArt Gallery, a floating dock for a kayak launch, and a living shoreline reintroducing natural flora and fauna to the Boston Harbor.
Bower, the first phase of the much-anticipated new Fenway Center complex, consists of two buildings at eight and 14 stories, totaling 312 residential units and 40,000 square feet of commercial space on two levels. Situated adjacent to the new Lansdowne Commuter Rail Station, this transit-oriented development is Boston’s first air-rights project in a quarter-century.
TAT’s design successfully reconnects and integrates both Bower buildings into the existing Fenway, Kenmore, and Longwood Medical Area neighborhoods, where 1960’s urban renewal once bifurcated the City of Boston. The two Bower buildings are linked by a new plaza that also provides a pedestrian connection from Beacon Street to David Ortiz Drive. Both buildings include residential amenity spaces and provide roof decks with views of downtown Boston, Fenway Park, and Brookline to the west. Reflecting the project’s emphasis on forming new connections between surrounding neighborhoods, TAT also designed a pedestrian deck that now sits over the MBTA commuter rail lines and platforms, linking Beacon Street to the upper level of Lansdowne station.
With a gradual increase in building height and scale rising from historic Beacon Street up to the second tower along the Turnpike, Bower’s massing also respects the personalities and proportions of each abutting streetscape. The taller Bower structure, Tower Two, presents a faceted form with layers of regular window openings, horizontal banding, and shading fin accents concentrated at the building’s corners – all of which echo the movement of the adjacent turnpike. The entire mass of Tower Two sits on top of a lighter, more transparent base holding retail and amenity spaces that serve the residential units above. Bower also includes 189 parking spaces in a shared underground garage.
The first residential complex in Boston to utilize View dynamic glazing, Bower is both LEED Gold Certified and Fitwel Certified – a standard that includes evidence-based design and operational strategies that optimize occupant health and productivity. The Fenway Center Complex was originally master planned by New York-based Carlos Zapata Studio. Interiors in collaboration with Planeta Design Group.
The Cordwainer is an innovative 54 unit freestanding memory care community in Norwell, Massachusetts. The 50,000 square foot complex is situated in a tranquil, wooded expanse and reimagines the memory impairment care model by taking design inspiration from nature to enhance resident health and wellness. Its focus is on support services for the growing population of older adults with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The facility is notable for its learning-based programming and its use of biophilia, an approach to architecture and interiors that strives to enhance human well-being through greater connection to the natural world.
The firm’s design reflects an evidence-based approach that recognizes how light can significantly impact dementia by improving mood and reducing depression and psychoactive symptoms common to the disease. The resulting interior spaces provide a bright, airy atmosphere that uses natural materials like wood and living moss walls and prioritizes thoughtfully modulated daylight. Key solutions include an expansive skylight above the building’s centrally located two-story atrium sensory garden that serves as a focal point of the community’s care program. To maximize daylight penetration deep within the building’s core, a series of large clerestory windows are located in common areas, and three lightwells are spaced at equal intervals along the community’s north-facing facade, providing diffused natural lighting to a series of activity rooms on the second floor.
The residential units are programmed to the south and north for soft lighting from large, oversized tilt and turn windows. The west- and east-facing common lounge and dining rooms benefit from daylong light penetration through floor-to-ceiling glazing. These design solutions for boosting natural light all work together to provide therapeutic sensory stimulation, helping ease the agitation many dementia patients experience throughout the day.
The design includes a range of engaging spaces – dedicated activity rooms, workshops, informal living rooms, and a performance center – each supporting the community’s proprietary dementia therapies programming called The Learned Environment, which incorporates activities involving art, music, and foreign language to stimulate cognitive function. To facilitate engagement, The Cordwainer’s community-oriented design features open plan living and dining rooms on each floor, surrounded by residential suites comprising 47 single units and seven companion suites with private bedrooms. The building’s boulevard-style corridor, elevators, and high-contrast interior color scheme ease wayfinding routes for the residents, fostering accessibility to and from apartments and ancillary spaces.
Minimalism and Midcentury Modern converge to create a harmonious environment for the residents. Emphasizing functionality and clean lines, a priority is placed on a tranquil color palette and natural elements, accented by custom millwork and curated artwork to create a refined aesthetic. A double-height living wall defines a serene entry with organic forms and hues of varying earth tones. A central fireplace invites socialization while statement lighting softly illuminates the lobby.
Resident amenities include the second level’s rooftop terrace, a wood workshop, a barbershop and salon, a fitness center, a private visitation suite for families, and performance and rejuvenation centers. The landscaped courtyard offers safe access to an outdoor sensory space, a critical component of memory care design.
The Archer Residences combines two existing buildings, The Archer and The Donahue – both of which formerly served as classroom and administrative offices for Suffolk University. The Archer building, the original Suffolk University School of Law, with its cast-concrete decorative panels, is evocative of the Classical Revival architectural style popular at its time of construction in the 1920s. The Donahue building was built in the 1960s and featured a Modernist brick design. TAT designed a new façade for The Donahue, inspired by the minimal nature of Mid-century Modern design with broad expanses of brick, accented with ribbon windows. Conjoining the buildings into one structure and adding a penthouse level results in 172,000 square feet of residential space, with 62 condominium units. The new building is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification.
The Archer building features recast decorative concrete panels and historically-accurate replacement windows, as the originals had deteriorated beyond repair. The Donahue incorporates street-level access to residential units, accented with bronze and granite, taking inspiration from the surrounding residences. Thoughtful design attention has been given to the arrangement, texture, material, and color of the architectural features and The Archer’s relationship to its surroundings. Unique to Boston’s historic Beacon Hill neighborhood, the scope includes below-grade parking and a rooftop terrace. Interiors in collaboration with LDa.
This mixed-use waterfront development is composed of four buildings over a multi-level below-grade structure of function rooms, support spaces and 376 car garage. The 480,000 square foot development includes the 150 room Battery Wharf Hotel, Aragosta Bar + Bistro, 104 luxury condominiums, a Maritime Museum, 30,000 square feet of retail space including a 12,000 square foot health spa, and a waterfront promenade. As a waterfront development, the project was subject to a rigorous permitting process including Massachusetts Chapter 91 licensing requirements.
Located 20 miles north of Pittsburg, this new four-story, 174,000 square foot community offers a comprehensive continuum of care with a mix of 80 independent, 60 assisted living and 32 memory care units. Set back from the main thoroughfare on a plateau adjacent to a wooded hillside, the architectural styling honors the area’s industrial past with exposed structural steel accents, cement board paneling and siding, brick masonry, and cedar wood details. A series of architectural three-story colored frames disperse the overall massing into discrete facade elements that include oversized resident windows and dedicated inset balconies.
The design is anchored around two large interior courtyards. Common areas for both independent/assisted living and memory care residents are centered on these large outdoor amenity spaces, which loosely take the form of a looping figure eight. Upon entry, the light-filled lounge and grab-and-go café imbue a boutique-like environment. A contemporary open concept layout activates the amenity spaces with double height vistas to the interior courtyard. The great room’s oversized storefront glass wall provides residents and family members with a remarkable light-filled space to socialize and connect – supporting a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Resident mobility is encouraged through the use of a unified aesthetic with customized millwork and a rich palette of blue and copper hues throughout. Innovative programmatic design solutions allow for shared independent and assisted living amenity spaces, including a fitness center and pool, theater, salon, library, game room, and wellness center. Several dining venues offer both formal and bistro-style options with various seating areas. Outdoor spaces are complete with terraces for bocce, putting, barbeque, sunning, and private at-grade patios.
The memory care wing is designed to minimize overstimulation with a calming blue and orange palette, natural light, and views of the secure outdoor walking trail. There are four memory care neighborhoods with a looping circulation around a central courtyard, which include the resident lounge, dining room, and sunroom. The layout is carefully arranged to provide natural wayfinding to mitigate unnecessary stress and create a positive, fulfilled experience for residents.
Raffles Boston is a $400+ million luxury hospitality, retail, and residential destination lauded as Boston’s most exciting new hotel opening in 2023. With an inventive cantilevered structure and Boston’s only hotel sky lobby, the 400-foot curved glass tower introduces a dramatic and sophisticated addition to the city’s skyline. The 35-story tower features 147 guestrooms and 146 condominium units. It represents the first-ever mixed-use property in North America for the world-renowned Raffles brand, a part of the Accor world hospitality group. Successfully integrating the new structure into its context presented a significant challenge, with the building’s modest footprint just 65 feet (20m) from the all-glass Hancock Tower and its adjacency to a historic landmark, the 100-foot-tall University Club. The appropriate design solution required integrating the contemporary structure into a neighborhood defined by a dense low-rise historic architectural fabric.
A second consideration involved generating a workable mixed-use program to meet the ambitious objectives of 16 distinctive gathering spaces, including a variety of exclusive venues dedicated solely to the building’s residents. The solution entailed securing air rights over the historic neighbor, allowing for an innovative approach by structural engineer McNamara Salvia. A 30-foot cantilever at the tower’s fourth floor extends over the University Club’s party wall. It supports the upper 29 stories, rising an additional 340 feet into the sky, with a second cantilever at the 17th floor. The cantilever approach yielded both programmatic and urban design benefits, granting the tower a contextually scaled street presence and allows the building to express itself as a sculptural form on the upper levels, with a distinctive freedom of movement not commonly seen in Boston architecture.
The project design team includes the award-winning firm Stonehill Taylor, responsible for the hotel and restaurant interiors, as well as several hotel amenity spaces. Rockwell Group designed the fitness center, spa, residential amenities, and condominium unit interiors, and Studio Paolo Ferrari designed the Long Bar restaurant venue. The Raffles development will also contribute over $22 million in public benefits, including street and public realm improvements, seven affordable housing units on-site, and an additional contribution of more than $13 million to support affordable housing initiatives in Boston, aligning closely with TAT’s mission.
Located on a prominent corner site in Boston’s South End Landmark District, 100 Shawmut is a 138 unit luxury condominium. The first building in the firm’s master plan for a larger three-building complex, the design mixes adaptive reuse and new construction, integrating an existing six-story brick warehouse structure with a contemporary addition to create a 231,880 square foot, 13-story residential condominium.
The design approach maintains the character of the streetscape and the original building, setting the new construction back from the historic structure to highlight its original form and profile. The distinction between old and new is further accentuated by the striking geometry and elegant materiality of the addition above. As master planners for the Shawmut Block, TAT’s designers organized the buildings on the three constituent parcels to create a major publicly accessible internal courtyard, providing outdoor amenity space for the buildings as well as breaking up the superblock with important north-south and east-west public pedestrian routes. Interior architecture designed in collaboration with Embarc.
Located on the last developable 1.4-acre site on the country’s oldest public beach, Revio Revere Beach is a new mixed-use multifamily community comprised of 209 units and ground floor retail. The highly amentized building offers more than 20,000 square feet of a resident-focused program, including an elevated outdoor courtyard with an expansive pool and roof deck, work-from-home spaces, and an extensive fitness and wellness area. Each unit has high-end finishes and thoughtfully designed floor plans to maximize convenience, comfort, and views of the water. Boasting direct beachfront access, this unique, transit-oriented location is within half a block of the train station, providing a convenient 20-minute commute into downtown Boston. The resilient development is positioned to attract residents that desire a highly social environment with a live-work-play lifestyle all under one roof. Interiors in collaboration with Carnegis Group.
Sited in the primary commercial center of Roxbury, and home to the region’s busiest bus station, Nubian Square is designed to enhance the public realm. Two new mixed-use buildings will offer 170 mixed-income units and 8,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. To mitigate the height and preserve the street wall context, the larger condominium building mass will be set back from the street’s edge, locating taller elements toward the center and rear of the site. The smaller multifamily structure will be set at five stories to match with the existing Boston Police substation. Each building will embody its own architectural character, further integrating the 288,190 square foot development into the diverse architectural context of the neighborhood.
The light warm material palette will pay homage to the neighborhood’s existing buildings while introducing a more modern aesthetic. A composite metal panel rainscreen cladding system with sandstone coloring is intended to pair nicely with the Boston Police substation’s stone façade. Likewise, to break up the façade in select locations, similar color metal panels will be used to provide interest and rhythm. Several areas of full-height window walls will offer prominent views of downtown Boston. The dark metallic window frames and accent material will be indicative of the metallic tones of the surrounding buildings.
To heighten the pedestrian experience, Nubian Square will provide a generous sidewalk, complete with a new bike lane and street trees, a plaza with a water feature, NAACP offices, and a cafe with outdoor seating. The residential entries and offices will be strategically placed along Dudley Street to enliven the streetscape and integrate with the retail storefront. A shared central courtyard will pair with other resident amenities such as concierge services, a community room, private event space, fitness center, sky lounge, roof deck, and both interior and exterior bicycle storage to provide a comprehensive live, work, play hub. Designed to achieve LEED Gold Certification, this new transit-oriented community is a strategic approach to sustainable urban development, where people and traffic mix to make healthy, green, and livable streets.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Sibley Building, now known as Sibley Square, has been transformed into a vibrant, mixed-use urban center including multifamily, commercial, and retail space. This landmark building, topped by a neoclassical clock tower and featuring tawny Roman-style brick walls, occupies an entire block in downtown Rochester and spans 1.1M square feet. The design and programming, played out incrementally for more than a decade, gained several hundred thousand square feet of office space, and nearly 200 units. Once one of the most prominent department stores in the nation, the iconic structure provides an array of public and private destinations: art galleries, retail shops, adult and child daycare services, cafes, a fitness center, and an expansive roof deck. With more than 23 acres of floor space, this reimagined building is at the heart of the economic rebirth in downtown Rochester and is home to the University of Rochester’s high-tech incubator, NextCorps. Many of the iconic art deco details have been preserved, from the bas-relief sculpture above the original elevator doors to the tri-line pattern on the escalator, and the defining halo ceilings at each entrance. Mahogany panels, modern art, and original photography define the clean, bright, and welcoming lobby space. With short walks to public transit, access to parks, proximity to entertainment, and flexible interior configurations, Sibley Square serves as a catalyst for the rejuvenation of an entire city core into a dynamic, placemaking destination.
Located on East Boston’s waterfront, Harborwalk Residences and Harbor125 Apartments is a new mixed-income multifamily community that replaces decades-old public housing. Offering 52 units, including 22 affordable homes and 30 mixed-income condominiums, the transit-oriented development reconnects East Boston’s Maverick Square neighborhood to the Boston Harbor waterfront. Carefully graded and elevated, the structures are sited on a raised berm above the flood plain, with a gentle slope ensuring full accessibility. The plain brings restored view corridors and adds new streets and pedestrian passageways, where scattered garden-apartment-style buildings had previously formed a barrier separating the city from the shore.
Given the primarily low-rise, wood-and-masonry surroundings, both new three-story buildings are clad in contextually appropriate materials ranging from clapboard siding to masonry-like cement fiber panels. The result is a seamless transition from the older urban fabric to more contemporary developments along the water’s edge.
Amenities include over 4,400 square feet of valuable community-focused retail space and gathering areas, publicly accessible bike storage facilities, and resident-only terraces with sweeping views of the Boston skyline. The bright, airy interiors offer high-quality finishes and a sophisticated color palette of rich navy blues and gray to create a contemporary amenity space. In a nod to the close-knit neighborhood’s history, the lounge incorporates a mural evocative of one that once appeared on the previous building’s façade.
In 1939, at 1.1 million square feet of space, Sibley’s was the largest department store between New York and Chicago. Artfully restored to new use, the novel, bold theater-style marquee entrance serves as the grand entry to The Mercantile on Main, which thoughtfully blends art deco era details within a modern food hall communal space. The Mercantile offers a highly curated and visually appealing experience to showcase local restaurants while realizing a larger vision for the surrounding downtown’s ongoing revitalization.
Embodying a refined brand aesthetic – elegantly restrained and more intentional than most hyper-eclectic food halls – The Mercantile on Main’s dynamic four-sided bar anchors the space and serves as the social hub. Incorporating a layered palette that combines a myriad of colors and textures on every plane, the interiors successfully pay tribute to the past while simultaneously imparting a forward-looking approach. Contemporary materials create a vibrant, authentic, and welcoming vibe. The classic Rochester line, “Meet me under the clock” is given meaning again by re-suspending the historic copper clock in a place of prominence within the food court. A thoughtful selection of dining and lounge furniture extends the warm, inviting palette and provides visitors with a variety of ways to engage with the reimagined space.
A new 78 unit transit-oriented, mixed-income multifamily community built on a once-vacant MBTA parcel in Jamaica Plain. This five-story contemporary building has two distinct vocabularies. Direct-entries, lap siding, and repetitive sawtooth bays along Hyde Park Avenue provide a human-scale rhythm and materiality sympathetic to the adjacent triple-decker apartment buildings common to the neighborhood. The structure’s massing culminates in a larger, more formal and public scale along Ukraine Way, appropriate for its siting along the southwest corridor commuter rail viaduct.
The lobby fronting on Hyde Park Avenue provides pedestrian access to the residential apartments and associated amenities. A second egress from the first floor opens to a new pocket park that is available to the public. With more than 1,600 square feet of ground-floor retail and 2,500 square feet of community space, amenities for tenants include a fitness room, a common lounge, bicycle storage, top floor deck, outdoor play area, and a dog walk. The 84,658 square foot community provides 38 workforce housing units and 40 affordable units for households earning at or below 60% of area median income. Eight of these affordable units are set-aside for formerly homeless families who earn at or below 30% area median income.
Lively and inviting interior spaces are informed and inspired by proximate landmarks. The hexagonal shape is a unifying design element, complemented by the custom tile pattern in the lobby, which artfully interprets the topography of Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum. A palette of gold, teal, and chartreuse combine with black metal accents, colorful artwork, warm toned wood, and touches of gray to provide a fresh, bold interior environment.
Acting as a buffer between the rail lines and the surrounding context, A.O. Flats at Forest Hills employs environmentally friendly features throughout and is LEED-Homes Platinum Certifiable. Part of a larger master planned development, this third phase was designed in collaboration with Associate Architect, Stephen Chung.
A new seven-story mixed-use multifamily community, located adjacent to the 10,000-seat Polar Park in Worcester’s Historic Canal District, is comprised of 173 units and 16,000 square feet of retail space intended for resident and public entertainment uses. The development includes an amenity-rich live-work-play program featuring a candlepin bowling alley, virtual reality space, brew lounge, pizza parlor, game room, two rooftop decks, communal and co-working lounge, and a comprehensive fitness center. Sited on the former storied music venue, Sir Morgan’s Cove, the interior design embraces a rock-and-roll glamor aesthetic, complete with a circular glass fireplace, custom art and millwork, and tattoo-inspired pieces by local muralists. As a symbol of the energetic and youthful spirit of the 1970s, Persian rugs and leather upholstery coupled with tasteful patterns and colors provide a glam factor and refined grown-up texture to create a welcoming vibe.
One Chestnut Place, the city’s tallest tower, is a new 156,000 gross square foot high-rise luxury apartment building offering views of downtown Boston and Quincy Bay. The 15-story cast-in-place concrete mixed-use infill development includes 140 market rate units comprised of one- and two-bedrooms and 4,000 square feet of ground floor retail. The majority of the units are organized around the south and north facades; south-facing units utilize solar incidence while north-facing units have vistas to the water.
Modern materials combine with classical elements to create a contemporary principal of hierarchy design approach. The texture, grain, and color of the tower’s panelized façade accentuate a base, middle, and top composition. The first three floors utilize carefully selected earth-colored Mega-Panels to relate and integrate the building into its neighboring context. Natural-colored Mega-Panels form the exterior’s middle massing with a deeply sanded surface – brought to life by the colorful accents in the windows. To emphasize the verticality of the building, a deep slate gray color is utilized on the top two floors. Exacting panel sizes were pre-established in collaboration with the construction team to achieve the goal of installing one floor per week and, despite COVID-19 roadblocks, the project was completed two months ahead of schedule. High-definition videos were derived from a drone survey to aid in the building’s exterior punch list, harnessing technology to mitigate pandemic restrictions.
A range of warm deep-tone grays combine with a mix of metal finishes to anchor this interior design aesthetic and are elegantly punctuated by a dramatic stone wall upon entry. Cove lighting is used throughout to highlight natural materials and custom millwork. The clubroom embodies an edgy, cool atmosphere with dark finishes and gold accents. A hospitality bar is nicely paired with adjacent banquette seating while workpods, gathering tables, and a touchdown counter provide flexibility for residents working from home. A secure parking garage, complete with bike storage, is accessed through the main lobby and provides a below grade connection to the newly constructed City of Quincy garage, allowing residents a private connection to their parking space. Located five minutes from the Quincy Center MBTA station, the transit-oriented development offers residents convenient access to local shops and restaurants.
A strategic infill development on Main Street in downtown Westport, this new luxury community offers 69 assisted living and 27 memory care units for seniors. Modern and refined, The Residence at Westport employs an innovative multi-level program with intricate geometry, scale, and detailing. Serving as an extension of the neighborhood, the design features locally quarried granite and stone seating walls which frame the building and complement the adjacent condominium and commercial properties.
A primary site constraint was the 35-foot height restriction, which required a unique design solution consisting of a noncombustible 90,000 square foot steel structure with a peaked occupied roof. Borrowing aesthetically from the American Craftsman style, the project features a wrap-around porch and entry supported by heavy cedar wood framing accents, tapered shingle columns, stone veneer chimneys, covered resident terraces, and trellises. The building’s form is thoughtfully oriented to avoid dominating the main street frontage and maximize views of the landscaped grounds. The shorter wing of the building faces east and the longer wing runs east to west to minimize resident travel distances. Third floor dormers further reduce the building’s overall expanse and create a true residential-scale. The dormers include units with cathedral ceilings executed with light gauge trusses and structural steel to create the equivalent of its wood counterpart.
The entry sequence is designed around a classic two-story grand stair and café lounge with vistas to a landscaped terrace and walking paths. Reclaimed wood and steel elements combine to create an open and invigorating environment. Intricate space planning elegantly places the amenity areas as extensions of one another, encouraging movement and engagement. A nautical palette of blues and grays exude a calming environment that reinforces the expressive coastal vernacular. The customized interior detailing and artwork integrated with the upscale finishes, furniture, and lighting come together to create a refined aesthetic. The concierge wing, located on the second floor, is reserved for residents favoring customized 24/7 services.
The Residences at Brighton Marine is a 102 unit LEED Gold Certified veterans’ supportive housing community located in the city’s growing Allston-Brighton neighborhood. The $46M transit-oriented project was master planned and designed for WinnDevelopment and Brighton Marine, a non-profit established to support veterans and their dependents. With a full complement of onsite clinical, behavioral health, and family services coupled with a variety of mixed-income and permanent supportive apartment homes for different veteran populations — including those with families and the formerly homeless — the new community is one of the largest veterans’ developments nationwide, and the first such complex of this scale to open in Boston since World War II.
Residences at Brighton Marine combines a new six-story building with an adapted historic structure to form a 1.44-acre campus with 11 studios, 47 one-bedroom units, 33 two-bedrooms, and 11 three-bedroom units. The project’s design is inspired by the neighborhood’s historic architecture, particularly the animated bay fronts that characterize nearby streets. The building facades are composed of residential-scale windows and large sawtooth-style bays that are capped by a striking cornice that mirrors the angular shape of the bays, enhancing the building’s character and identity. The bays give the exterior its distinctive serrated form and transform the otherwise modest apartment layouts into dynamic living spaces seeming to extend beyond the boundaries of the exterior walls – ensuring nearly every unit has multi-directional views of the city.
Primary interior amenities face a large south-facing courtyard in the center of the campus which include a community-sponsored wellness office, a flex space that can be furnished as a classroom or general meeting area, a large gym, and theater room. The bright, airy interiors offer high-quality finishes, extensive artwork, and mural installations. An onsite garage parking and 104 covered bike spaces are available to residents.
With an inviting street presence, this new $33 million six-story, mixed-use infill development reimagines a vacant lot located near Johnson & Wales University at the crossroads of Downtown Providence and the Innovation & Design District. The 111,300 square foot multifamily community creates 92 one-, two-, and three-bedroom luxury units with more than 5,800 square feet of street-level retail. This contextual yet modern development serves as a gateway and hub, tying together previously disparate city districts with a vital mix of uses while activating an underutilized asset for the city. The industrial-influenced interiors feature exposed ductwork, unfinished concrete-simulated tile, robust geometric shapes and rich metal finishes while creating an expression of warmth with saturated color, abstract art, and comfortable furniture choices. A custom wallcovering in the mailroom depicts landmark structures and monuments in Providence. Amenities include an expansive fitness center, three roof terraces, and 27 covered parking spaces. To supplement the supply of Brown University’s housing and to de-densify the campus, the University is leasing space at Chestnut Commons for student housing needs.
Sited on a serene 5.5-acre wooded lot, Anthology of Natick is a new 82,000 square foot community with 86 luxury assisted and memory care units for local seniors. Thoughtfully designed to promote and enhance engagement, residents have next-door access to the Natick Community Senior Center, and ample outdoor amenity space, gardens, and walking trails. Inspired by the New England farmhouse aesthetic, board and batten walls, painted wood ceilings, glass barn doors, and wicker lighting fixtures combine to create an inviting and sophisticated environment. Residents enjoy a variety of entertainment and dining options, wellness space, and a game room. A dedicated Virtue Memory Care Neighborhood is designed to help residents thrive, offering its own dining room, common area, and walking courtyard with raised garden beds.
A $57M infill redevelopment, The Loop at Mattapan Station transforms an underutilized MBTA parcel into a 171,000 square foot multifamily, mixed-use community with 11,648 square feet of ground floor retail space. With 135 units, comprised of six studios, 38 one-bedrooms, 81 two-bedrooms, ten three-bedrooms, and two townhomes, this contemporary, mixed-income community offers modern apartments for various income levels, 8% of which are accessible.
This transit-oriented development is adjacent to Mattapan Station, the terminus of the Mattapan-Ashmont trolley line, and is sited within the center of the vehicular/bus circulation route on three sides. The design accommodates a 50-space parking lot for MBTA commuters and includes an overhang that allows for parking and vehicles to pass beneath the east wing, with an additional 45 parking spaces for residents.
Resident amenities include a 2,000-square-foot flexible community room, which can seat 100 people or be converted into a half-court basketball play area. The ground floor accommodates a fitness room, a resident lounge that seamlessly connects to the mail/Amazon Hub and workstation area, and management offices. A clubroom with an entertainment-sized kitchen, modular seating options, a media area, and a game table, is an ideal extension of unit space for gathering and socializing. Three exterior spaces are available for residents to enjoy, including a pocket park with landscaped grounds and built-in seating, a deck on the sixth floor overlooking the adjacent Neponset River and Greenway, and a spacious outdoor patio on the ground-floor, connecting directly to the clubroom.
The massing of the building creates simple block formations that step back along River Street, modulating in height and color. Horizontal and vertical battens, cement fiber panels, and horizontal lap siding are employed for contrast. A circle perforation pattern on the screens evokes the texture of water inspired by the adjacent Neponset River.
A bold color palette is used throughout the interiors, accented by contemporary artwork, a 3D art installation in the clubroom, and modern lighting fixtures. Orange, yellow, and red hues provide a vibrant and lively aesthetic for the community spaces, balanced by calming shades of gray and teal in the resident hallways and fitness area. The Daily Table, a nonprofit grocery store whose mission is to provide nutritious, convenient, and fresh food to communities in need at affordable prices, anchors the retail space and features four colorful murals designed by local artist Ruby Rose.
Designed to Passive House standards, the development includes a solar photovoltaic array, EV charging stations, energy-efficient HVAC systems, air-tight enclosure and mechanized ventilation, ventless dryers in laundry rooms, interior storage for 135 bikes, and exterior bike racks including an e-bike rack. Designed in collaboration with Mass Design Group.
This state-of-the-art, 92,000 square foot community offers 84 assisted and memory care apartments for local seniors. Designed with a modern palette including high-end woods, tile, and custom light fixtures, along with a range of amenities common to boutique hospitality properties, TAT’s approach sets a new standard for the level of programming and finishes. The assisted living unit mix includes studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes, each with its own kitchenette. The development offers a bistro for gatherings, theater, recreation and athletic facilities. A dedicated memory care wing is designed to the same high level of fit and finish, offering its own common areas and walking courtyard.
Located in downtown White Plains, this new $60M state-of-the-art 5-story rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility is designed to connect residents and family members alike to a lively urban environment. The 110,000 square foot community serves a broad range of medically complex patients and consists of 42 long-term skilled nursing beds, 76 subacute care beds and a 42 bed Memory Care neighborhood. The building is organized with efficient L-shaped neighborhoods designed to optimize travel distances, increase patient observability and maximize interaction. Patient rooms are clustered around the central amenity and service core with both traditional nurse stations at the sub-acute levels and the trending more casual care center for the long-term and Memory Care levels.
The main entrance – resembling a covered hotel arrival – and an outdoor dining terrace are located directly on the public street activating the city sidewalk. Each floor has two common areas in close proximity to a nursing station with expansive glass walls to the outside, designed specifically to accommodate sight lines from a wheelchair’s perspective. One common area is open to the street corner providing views to the surrounding city, while the other has a quieter focus on the green roof terraces of the second and third floors. Outdoor terraces and balconies are centrally located at each level while taking advantage of the sheltered and private side of the building.
First floor amenities include a lounge, lobby area, main dining room, private dining, multipurpose space and a barbershop and hair salon. Comprehensive rehabilitation spaces are located on two levels. The second floor houses a luxurious center easily accessible to and care-specific for the short-term subacute patients from floors two and three. The ground floor houses a more private facility catering to the needs of longer-term patients. The fourth floor is dedicated to Memory Care and the fifth floor is designed for long-term patients. All floors have family waiting areas, dining rooms and lounges with indoor/outdoor activity space.
Hailed as a model for smart growth and mixed-use development in dense urban centers, Alta Union House transforms a long-underutilized site across from Framingham’s central park, situated in close proximity to the commuter rail station. With 196 units and 2,587 square feet of ground-floor retail space, this modern five-story building dramatically alters the face of this growing city by adding density, increasing walkability and reducing reliance on cars.
TAT’s design solution for Alta Union House strikes an approachable and contextual tone, with yellow brick façade elements that echo nearby historic structures as well as bay windows and balconies that create visual interest and activity. Offering one-, two-, and three-bedroom units of up to 1,400 square feet in size, the building also has shared outdoor space split between three courtyards. Directly connected to indoor amenities, the smallest courtyard offers bistro-style seating along adjacent Howard Street. The mid-sized courtyard activates a strip of land between Alta Union House and a neighboring building called The Kendall, with seating, a grilling area, and outdoor movie projection for residents. Residents also share a fitness center with Peloton bikes, a saltwater pool, dedicated bicycle storage, and a tech lounge for those who want to work from home. Interior design by CBT.
Alta Oxbow is a new 362,000 square foot intergenerational mixed-income master planned community formed by three distinct residential buildings and a central clubhouse serving as the campus nexus. The contemporary vertical board and batten sided structures provide a fresh approach to traditional design, reflecting the proportion and symmetry typical of a rustic New England farmhouse aesthetic. Upon approach, the massing gradually increases from 3-stories along the public-facing corridor to 4-stories at the rear of the site. The design program represents a composition uniquely suited for the evolving demographic shift to an older renter profile. Of the 218 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, 66 units are tailored for active adults aged 55+, strategically programmed in one structure with private common areas and a covered wraparound porch. In addition, the community addresses the growing demand for affordable housing in secondary markets by offering 55 income-restricted units. The expansive, light-filled clubhouse is ideal for entertaining, casual social gatherings, and flexible work-from-home options – complete with a state-of-the-art fitness center, co-working spaces and a conference room, maker spaces, an on-site library, a golf simulator, 24-hour package rooms, and resident lounge with grab-and-go coffee station. Outdoor amenities include a pool, two landscaped courtyards, firepits and grilling stations, walking trails, flexible seating areas, a dog spa, and a children’s bus stop designed to embody the historic Wayland train station. The $62M sustainable development achieved the Gold National Green Building Standard and offers EV charging stations along with bicycle storage. Interiors in collaboration with CID Design Group.
Located midway between Boston and Cape Cod, Modera Marshfield is a new 330,316 square foot mixed-income multifamily transit-oriented community that provides an ideal coastal living experience. The plan features 248 garden-style direct-entry townhomes and apartment flats spanning 14 buildings. Each building consists of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, with select den layouts. In keeping with the history and tradition of the neighborhood’s low-rise single-family residences, the contextual design features two- and three-story Colonial, Shingle-style buildings with pitched rooflines and white and gray siding.
Sited at the community’s entrance, the clubhouse creates a welcoming focal point, offering a clubroom with a kitchenette, a fitness center, a game lounge, a children’s playroom, work pods, and leasing offices with mail package reception. Muted colors and elegant details provide a refined aesthetic. A resort-style swimming pool, outdoor fireplace and kitchen, playground, and a dog park provide opportunities for resident connectivity. Individual units are designed with custom cabinetry, wood-plank style flooring, stone countertops, and large double-hung windows offering ample natural light.
Residents are afforded walkable access to a variety of attractions, retail, and conveniences, including the Greenbush commuter rail station in the neighboring town of Scituate, commuter boats in Hingham and Hull, and multiple commuter bus options. Interiors in collaboration with Planeta Design Group.
Avalon Saugus is a new, mixed-use community featuring 280 luxury apartments located twelve miles outside of Boston along the popular Route 1 corridor in Saugus, MA. The firm’s master plan for this 14-acre landmark property replaces the former renowned Hilltop Steakhouse with three four-story multifamily buildings, each designed with a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. In the community’s center, a clubhouse structure offers a wide range of shared tenant amenities, including ample outdoor space with a landscaped courtyard, pool, fire pit, grills, and dog park. Located at the base of an extended entryway, the clubhouse’s lofty entry porch and butterfly roof present an eye-catching focal point for Avalon Saugus. The community’s buildings integrate red shingled gable roofs with broad overhanging eaves and two-story bay windows flanked top and bottom with strong horizontal bands, providing a distinctive blend of traditional New England forms and modern details. The 23,600+ square feet of retail space was designed by HFA.
Bringing together traditional design motifs and contemporary forms, the interior clubhouse common spaces reflect the site’s legendary history through the use of local imagery and archival photos combined with bold accents of primary color, custom fixtures, and neon light strips. The high-level of fit and finish includes New England-sourced red oak live-edge tables, custom mosaic banquettes, a two-story, reclaimed wood façade fireplace, and expansive 10-foot doors and windows. The connection to its celebrated context is further commemorated through preservation of the iconic neon Hilltop Steakhouse cactus sign that remains on site.
Located on a bluff overlooking the serene Wrentham State Forest, Alexan Wrentham is a new multifamily community offering 240 mixed-income units across a series of three attractive mid-rise buildings. Designed to maximize views and offer easy access to hiking and biking trails, the complex site required extensive grading work and the construction of 30-foot-high retaining walls.
TAT’s design solution offers a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes equipped with balconies and high-end finishes including stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors. Each apartment also offers in-home washer/dryer units. A wide array of indoor/outdoor amenities allow residents to take full advantage of the bucolic setting, and range from on-site fitness and yoga center, to a gaming area, work and conference space, pool, dog run, and an outdoor grilling station, game lawn and fire pit. As the anchor project of a larger 50+ acre mixed-use development with walkable restaurants, a hotel, and access to highways and public transit, The Point at Wrentham epitomizes the contemporary lifestyle community.
A new 282 unit luxury apartment and mixed-use community at the corner of Arsenal and Irving streets in the thriving city of Watertown, MA. With more than 11,000 square feet of resident amenity space and structured parking for 420 cars, this development stretches 700+ feet and is designed to achieve LEED Gold and Energy Star Certification.
Elan Union Market has two buildings that are attached by an elegant, elevated glass walkway – a key defining feature of the project. The development includes an array of thoughtfully designed amenities including a modern clubhouse with a variety of social spaces, an entertainment kitchen, art gallery, yoga room, and top-of-the-line fitness equipment. The pet-friendly community offers open green space, multiple outdoor courtyards with grilling stations, a swimming pool with sun deck, as well as bicycle storage and repair stations. Shared indoor and outdoor community space includes a resident lounge with billiards and a tech center with meeting rooms, a coffee bar, and workspaces.
The use of earthen wood throughout adds depth, character, and warmth to the interior spaces while the splendor of a living green wall connects tenants to the natural environment. Affluent styling and familiar rich tones such as nutmeg, gold- and pewter-like metal finishes and slate blue hues against neutral stone define a contemporary-inspired style.
The 11,500 square feet of designated retail space sits across a shared driveway from a market on a contiguous lot creating a lively and engaging pedestrian connection from one site to the next. Running along the complex is a new sidewalk and a 10-foot-wide bicycle path, helping to link the Community Path to Watertown Square. A small parcel adjacent to the buildings has been converted into a park. The 480,000 square foot community offers residents easy access to shopping, popular restaurants, and recreation in the surrounding areas of Watertown, Waltham, Cambridge, and Boston.
The Downs is part of a 524-acre mixed-use development aimed at revitalizing the former Scarborough Downs racetrack site. The new 66,000 square foot multifamily community is designed with energy-efficient Passive House principles and a focus on Universal Design, fostering an environment conducive to independent living. The program consists of 51 fully accessible units which incorporates innovative smart-home technologies, a common living area for social activities, a dedicated workspace for service providers, and a mobility and assistive technology hub. The long-awaited development will help fill the affordable housing gap for disabled adults and their families.
An $85M infill development in the heart of Assembly Row, Alta Revolution is a 430,000 square foot transit-oriented multifamily community with 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail. With 324 units, comprised of one-, two-, and three–bedroom flats, plus 5 direct entry townhome units, this contemporary 8-story building offers luxury urban housing and upscale amenities, including state-of-the-art fitness space, light-filled lounge with community kitchen, game room, recording studio with sound booths, private work pods, and public and private bike storage with repair stations. Outdoor spaces are thoughtfully programmed within an internal, private courtyard suitable for a resort-inspired pool with a hot tub, outdoor showers, firepits, and a variety of dining and entertaining spaces. A private pet spa and indoor park provide onsite convenience for resident pet owners.
Both approachable and contextual, the design features a façade accented with gray, black, terra cotta, and white paneling, complementing the surrounding commercial buildings, retail shops, and restaurants. A 2.5 level parking garage accommodates 188 parking spaces.
Designed to be LEED Silver certifiable and in accordance with Somerville’s SustainaVille Program, a series of initiatives that advance sustainability and climate resilience throughout the Somerville community. Interior design by CBT.
Flat 9 at Whittier is the phased redevelopment of the Whittier Street Apartments site in Roxbury, MA, which was originally built in the early 1950s to provide 200 public housing units. The newly designed master planned transit-oriented campus will provide 320 mixed-income units, commercial space, and a variety of resident amenities.
Phase One, which was honored with the 2020 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award in the HUD Preservation Category, is a new four-story building that acts as a transition from the larger planned structures to the north and west, with a rhythm of direct-access townhouses along Whitter Street. Its strong masonry base is visually interrupted with multi-story vertical elements, further perforated by colorful entries that add a layer of depth between the private entrances and the public realm. The vertical window groupings are articulated with a wood-grain spandrel panel, which warms the overall material composition. Of the 92 units, 66 are designated as affordable to households at or below 60% of the area median income. Amenity spaces include a community room, business center, activity room with a kitchen, playground, outdoor recreation area, bicycle storage, and an underground garage.
Phase Two, completed in 2021, consists of two new three-story buildings organized around a central interior courtyard with outdoor recreation space, walking paths, and a playground. Complementing Phase One, the “stacked flats” are designed to provide connectivity directly to the street and courtyard to encourage engagement.
Central to the master plan, the ground floor units have a rhythm of entries and common stairways that provides porosity and connectivity to the other phases while activating the newly created streets of Choice Way and Tenor Lane. Cantilevered bay windows signify the building entrances above an articulated masonry base that is unified by the entry canopies. The building corners are uniquely distinguished in their height and articulation, while responding to their adjacent context by anchoring the buildings in the urban setting.
Inspired by the area’s deep history of underground jazz, Flat 9 at Whittier aims to create a healthy, safe, and accessible environment and reconnect the buildings to the broader neighborhood. Essential to the area’s revitalization, the property offers access to on-site resident services ranging from healthcare enrollment and food distribution to financial services.
A $90M new master planned development, Avalon Harbor Isle, comprises 172 luxury units programmed across 14 two-and-a-half-story buildings, offering a mix of one- two- and three-bedroom apartments. Sited on a peninsula bounded by single-family homes, a protected wetland, and an extensive coastline, the massing was a key consideration for the design to ensure compatibility between the new multistory development and the smaller-scaled adjacent neighborhood. The result was a configuration of smaller direct-entry perimeter buildings, each offering the comforts of a single-family home, including private entries, garages, and front porches.
The community is intentionally designed to maximize view corridors to the water, with each structure oriented perpendicular to the coastline. The private interior courtyards feature landscaped walking trails, areas for socialization, and diagonal views of the shoreline. Embracing a coastal architectural aesthetic with resort-style elegance, the design gives a nod to traditional board and batten siding while emphasizing a nautical material palette. Oversized decks and porches with inboard columns offer sweeping vistas of the water.
A centrally located Clubhouse is the focal point of the community, programmed with a wide range of amenities and 37 one- two- and three-bedroom apartments. The light-filled entry provides a direct view of the waterfront. The interior design seamlessly blends timeless contemporary style, modern conveniences, nature-inspired hues, and custom millwork mimicking the curvature of ocean waves. Amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, clubroom, golf simulator, and landscaped courtyard featuring a heated pool, an expansive patio, a floating dock complete with a kayak launch, and ample walking paths along the coastline.
The completion of Avalon Harbor Isle marks the culmination of a 10-year initiative to redevelop an 11.6-acre brownfield site in the Harbor Isle section of Island Park. This once-blighted waterfront parcel, formerly home to the Cibro Petroleum storage facility housing over 17 million gallons of oil and fuel, required the remediation of approximately 61,000 tons of contaminated soil and cleansing of the groundwater. With existing soils unable to effectively support the new site improvements and buildings, a load transfer platform, supported on wood piles, was constructed over the site’s footprint to mitigate settlement. AeroAggragate, an ultra-lightweight fill made from 99% recycled glass, was used to raise the site’s grade by eight feet, without inducing further settlement, resulting in a highly flood resilient community.
Wingate Residences at Haverhill is a new 64 unit, 61,300 square foot assisted living and memory care community that forms the final component of a full continuum of care campus. Working with a sloping grade on the serene northern Massachusetts site, the firm’s design solution shapes the two-story structure to address zoning limitations for building height, while also serving programmatic needs and providing a visual and physical connection to the surrounding Wingate campus. With an emphasis on resident wellness and mobility, the project offers access to a wide array of community amenities, including outdoor walking trails, a theater, activities room, library, living room with fireplaces, dining room, salon, and a structured fitness program featuring a modern gym. Reflecting a thoughtful approach to all levels of care, the sensitively laid-out, multi-story memory care program allows for free travel from ground floor to the first floor, with a dedicated elevator programmed to work with the building’s wander management system. Interior design by Jess Schuster.
The second phase of an exciting waterfront residential community, Avalon Residences at the Hingham Shipyard brings 190 one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes and market-leading amenities to the historic Hingham Shipyard on the southern shore of a scenic bay just outside Boston. Designed in a coastal style with a mix of shingle siding and contrasting dark metal façade elements, the 350,000 SF structure blends classic New England architectural cues with a modern attitude, ensuring an approachable presence that complements both the surrounding shipyard and neighboring residential community.
With four residential stories set above a podium base marked by a series of landscaped courtyards, the project makes the most of its waterfront setting, offering numerous opportunities for seamless indoor/outdoor connection. TAT’s amenity program reflects a thoughtful approach to coastal living, placing a roof deck and tenant clubhouse on the fifth floor to maximize views. At ground level, the building wraps around courtyards and a large pool area featuring an attractive pavilion structure for gatherings and entertaining, accessible to all tenants. Light and airy interior amenity spaces include a common area with floor-to-ceiling windows, custom millwork and furnishings, and Carrara marble fireplace and wall treatments, as well as a fitness center and pet spa. Individual units offer a similarly high level of fit and finish, including brass backsplashes, stainless steel appliances, wide-plank flooring, and large-format windows for plentiful natural daylight. In addition to ample on-site parking within the podium base, Avalon Residences at the Hingham Shipyard also offers easy access to MBTA commuter rail and other public transit including ferry service.
With its serene woodland setting and vibrant, New England colonial style, The Residence at Silver Square challenges the perception of what an assisted living community can offer. Situated near downtown Dover and with convenient access to regional highways, this attractively detailed three-story building is comprised of 76 residential units in a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom senior apartments.
TAT’s program for The Residence at Silver Square emphasizes a wide range of amenities that encourage mobility and socialization. Key elements including a fitness center, sunroom, bistro, salon, media room, and lounge with an elegant coffered ceiling and large, farmhouse-style two-sided fireplace. An expansive south-facing dining room opens onto the community’s outdoor covered porch, allowing assisted living residents full access to views of the bucolic surroundings. Thoughtfully integrated into the building’s design scheme, the Reflections Memory Care neighborhood benefits from LCB Senior Living’s collaboration with Brigham & Women’s Hospital, McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Memory care residents can take advantage of their own private courtyard, along with a dedicated dining room and other programmed spaces.
Nestled within a tranquil community, this 84 unit facility provides assisted living and memory care residents with an amenity-rich lifestyle. Utilizing a crescent shaped plan, the project team took advantage of the site’s natural slope, placing the main entry of the 72,000 square foot community on the second floor. The design successfully reduces the scale of the three-story building and deemphasizes institutional characteristics in favor of features that highlight the building’s residential character and traditional New England aesthetic. By following the natural contours of the site, the split-level design maintains a residentially scaled building in the context of the adjoining neighborhood.
Programming offers operational flexibility, focusing on an array of amenities intended to promote activity and engagement. The spaces are designed to permit visual connections among them, encouraging movement between “destinations”. The lobby features a double-sided fireplace, a library overlooking the grand stair, and a cafe-bistro with ceruse oak millwork and exposed beams. An outdoor patio provides residents with immediate access to walking trails and views of a private garden.
Located at the building’s rear, the memory care wing is designed with secure, dedicated amenities: an open serving kitchen, comfort-oriented living room, quiet space and an activity room. Direct access to a private fenced-in courtyard allows these higher acuity patients to have convenient, safe access to the outdoors.
In a designated growth area abutting Forest Lakes and Montgomery Ridge, on what was a former tobacco farmstead, the rezoning and master plan of three parcels totaling 277 acres, will create a destination neighborhood including 600-800 single-family homes, a commercial area, and a mixed-use town center. As part of this comprehensive plan, Anthology of Charlottesville is a new four-story, 175,683 square foot independent, assisted living, and memory care facility, providing diverse and high-quality housing options for city residents.
Anthology of Charlottesville helps set a new precedent for senior living, with programming that exceeds the industry’s emerging wellness model with its highly visible location, walkability, proximity to retail, and overall integration into the community. The design is hospitality-based, with a focus on choice. The 20,000 square feet of shared upscale amenity spaces for 139 independent and assisted living units include a cafe/bistro, distinctive dining venues, high-tech resident lounge, library, theater, pub and game room, fitness space, indoor pool, golf simulator, grab-and-go cafe, and crafts room. The design adheres to eco-friendly principles while creating an atmosphere that has ample indoor-outdoor spaces, access to a large courtyard, gardens and walking trails, and abundant natural light.
Forty memory care units with dedicated amenities, including a dining room and resident lounge, are configured around an intimately scaled secondary courtyard with a circular walking path and resting areas. This supportive neighborhood setting facilitates high quality person-centric care by minimizing overstimulation, providing ample daylight, and creating an intuitive layout with visual cues and landmarks for wayfinding and orientation. Clear sight lines to clinical stations and help desks enhance safety, while a mix of active engagement and quiet spaces initiate involvement and support the desire for mobility and autonomy.
Maplewood at Brewster is located in the charming Cape Cod town of Brewster, Mass. This new 132 unit assisted living and memory care property is both sophisticated and refined; employing an innovative design that redefines senior living communities. Approaching the building, residents and guests are welcomed by a sweeping porch and porte-cochere supported by naturally stained timbers, emphasizing a comfortable, relaxed and uplifting environment.
The dramatic entrance and reception lobby maximizes the use of natural light to create a spacious and stimulating environment, artfully harmonizing natural wood and stone elements. The floor plan revolves around a central living area, designed with a central common and building spine of dramatically varied and lit vaulted spaces encouraging socialization and interaction. Intimate, accessible spaces are ideal for family members and residents alike.
Amenity spaces serve as focal points adjoining the soaring central volume, including a bistro, spa salon, formal dining, health center with fitness room and pool. The heavy timber structure is balanced by large clerestory windows, which lends character and permeability to the organization of these social spaces and imbues the common areas with activity and energy. Indoor and outdoor ‘windows’ serve as picturesque visual connections into other areas, providing various perspectives.
The unique 2-level memory care wing is a seamless and elegant extension of the assisted living program, designed with short distances to resident destinations, and providing clinically appropriate levels of care. The interior scheme assists residents with their cognitive abilities through texture, color, wayfinding cues and elevated lighting levels.
The project was designed to meet LEED for Homes Certification, and is seeking LEED Silver Certification.
Avalon North Andover is a two-phased master planned 260,000 square foot transit-oriented, 221 unit multifamily community. The timber-framed clubhouse serves as a central hub; expansive storefront windows, high ceilings, and exposed beams blend the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor amenities. Residents enjoy ample outdoor space with a landscaped courtyard, pool, fire pit, grills, and dog park. Inside the clubhouse, the live-work-play program features a light-filled lounge with a community kitchen, custom banquettes, private work pods, and a state-of-the-art fitness space with two yoga rooms. The welcoming aesthetic includes original paintings, papercraft, and sculptural wall hangings. Located in the Machine Shop Village Historic District, the architecture and interior design pay homage to the site’s industrial past with a modern, functional aesthetic. The development provides a dynamic community in a desirable location within walking distance of public transportation and local retail.
Treadmark is an 83 unit six-story sustainable transit oriented development that maintains a strong visual connection to the former Ashmont Tire auto shop it replaced. Designed to achieve LEED-H MFMR Certification, the $45M mixed-use, mixed-income building is enveloped in gray ironspot brickwork interspersed with clean, vertical aluminum panels that give the structure a distinctly modern feel. Stylistically, the exterior’s straight edges and angular corners set the building apart from the surrounding redbrick landscape. Large, garage-bay-style openings on the ground floor lead foot-traffic into the sizable 5,000 square foot retail spaces: another aesthetic and functional nod to the site’s industrial roots.
Inspired by early 20th Century factory architecture, Treadmark strikes a modern figure against the brick-stone backdrop of Peabody Square, adds vibrancy to the surrounding neighborhood and is conveniently located at the southern end of the MBTA’s Red Line, at Ashmont Station. Interiors by celebrity designer, Taniya Nayak.
With its classic New England design vernacular and inviting scale, this new, 178 unit multifamily community enlivens a quiet suburban neighborhood in northern Massachusetts, just 30 minutes from Boston. Featuring a mix of market-rate and affordable apartment homes, TAT’s design for Alexan 3 North divides the property into three separate mid-rise buildings whose massing and architectural style complement the surrounding neighborhood. Arranged around a large central courtyard, the amenity-rich, 223,000-square-foot community offers a compelling residential alternative with appeal for longtime suburban residents and city dwellers alike.
Positioned closest to the adjacent neighborhood, a three-story building holds 60 residential units ranging in size from one- to three bedrooms. Across the courtyard, two four-story buildings create an exciting street presence for nearby Boston Road; their unit mix includes studio through three-bedroom homes. Serving as Alexan 3 North’s main entry and focal point, a clubhouse structure connects the two larger buildings with common amenity space. The entry lobby is punctuated with dramatic custom canted beams, a two-story stickwood wall, and contemporary focal light fixtures, the overall clubhouse space forms an inviting, communal atmosphere for Alexan 3 North residents. Features include an open lounge area containing an amenity-rich kitchen, game room with pool table, video gaming, multiple large screen tv’s, custom lounge furniture and surround sound. The central amenity space also features a conference room, multiple work pods and fully plugged central seating. Other Alexan 3 North amenities include a fitness center, bike storage, dog washing room and a pool deck with grilling stations and seating areas.
This new residential community transforms a former research campus into Avalon Sudbury, a modern lifestyle destination whose atmosphere draws on the classic New England feel of surrounding Sudbury, Massachusetts. The new neighborhood is an integral part of Meadow Walk Sudbury – a vibrant mixed-use development that includes a village retail center and generous public areas including a central green, all connected by a new network of roadways and walking paths. TAT’s design for this inviting development offers 250 mixed-income apartment homes across a series of 31 contextually scaled two- and three-story buildings, including townhomes and a unique 8 and 10-unit building type that incorporates a private entry, garage, and generous balcony space for every unit. A centrally located clubhouse structure provides a community focal point whose prominent tower forms a modern take on iconic regional architecture.
Ranging in size from one- to three-bedrooms, homes at Avalon Sudbury feature upscale and contemporary finishes, including modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances, quartz stone countertops, and glass tile backsplash. Residents can take advantage of amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, landscaped courtyards with fire pits and gas grills, a work center with various table options and custom knotted wool carpet, and the club house’s fitness center and yoga room. For those seeking an elegant place for relaxation or socialization, Avalon Sudbury’s club room features rich woods, a double-sided bluestone fireplace, custom Italian glass globe light fixtures, and a curated mixed-media art program.
With its classic New England design vernacular and inviting scale, this new, 178 unit multifamily community enlivens a quiet suburban neighborhood in northern Massachusetts, just 30 minutes from Boston. Featuring a mix of market-rate and affordable apartment homes, TAT’s design for Alexan 3 North divides the property into three separate mid-rise buildings whose massing and architectural style complement the surrounding neighborhood. Arranged around a large central courtyard, the amenity-rich, 223,000-square-foot community offers a compelling residential alternative with appeal for longtime suburban residents and city dwellers alike.
Positioned closest to the adjacent neighborhood, a three-story building holds 60 residential units ranging in size from one- to three bedrooms. Across the courtyard, two four-story buildings create an exciting street presence for nearby Boston Road; their unit mix includes studio through three-bedroom homes. Serving as Alexan 3 North’s main entry and focal point, a clubhouse structure connects the two larger buildings with common amenity space. The entry lobby is punctuated with dramatic custom canted beams, a two-story stickwood wall, and contemporary focal light fixtures, the overall clubhouse space forms an inviting, communal atmosphere for Alexan 3 North residents. Features include an open lounge area containing an amenity-rich kitchen, game room with pool table, video gaming, multiple large screen tv’s, custom lounge furniture and surround sound. The central amenity space also features a conference room, multiple work pods and fully plugged central seating. Other Alexan 3 North amenities include a fitness center, bike storage, dog washing room and a pool deck with grilling stations and seating areas.
Modera Needham is a new 11-building, 136 unit residential community located less than 10 miles from Boston. Combining a classic New England aesthetic with best-in-class contemporary flair, TAT’s design offers a compelling mix of building types, including two- and three-bedroom townhomes featuring articulating facades and roof lines to provide a rich and unique character. A series of large one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments are configured within a five-story mid-rise building, realized in a variety of façade materials and with projecting apartment balconies to break down its scale and massing. Reflecting an emphasis on resident engagement and a wide range of amenities, Modera Needham’s large, central clubhouse features programming elements intended to meet the needs of larger households. Outdoor amenities include a heated saline pool, grill stations, water features for ambiance, a fireplace, numerous seating areas, and a playground; residents also have access to pre-existing walking trails that link through the Modera Needham site. Interior design in collaboration with Planeta Design Group.
A sculpted modern addition to the Boston skyline, The Kensington tower is highly contextual in the massing and materials of its podium, which relate in scale and rhythm to its neighbors, including the abutting China Trade Center, a Boston Landmark Building the firm renovated in 1985. Located in the Boylston Square area, the $172 million, luxury 27-story high-rise includes 381 residential units, 4,000 square feet of retail space, and four above-grade parking levels allowing for 107 vehicles. The neighborhood is currently undergoing a complete transformation, which is further enhanced by the LEED Gold Certified tower with its new retail space and café, creating an active pedestrian connection between Boylston and Washington Streets.
Situated just outside Boston, this new 395 unit multifamily community development brings many urban-market amenities to a suburban atmosphere, over five multi-story buildings. Outdoor living is at the heart of this complex, with an expansive rooftop deck atop building three. Residents enjoy an outdoor heated pool with surrounding hardscape and social spaces, as well as a unique on-site dog park.
Utilizing existing structural building pads from an earlier-abandoned project, TAT developed a compelling site plan. Upon discovering the existing building pads were undersized for some of the new building footprints, an innovate solution emerged. By cantilevering the structural floor slab beyond the dimensions of the available foundation, TAT achieved the necessary building footprints. To ensure the complex fits the surrounding neighborhood, the buildings are positioned by height — with the shorter buildings placed towards the front of the complex. Varied exterior finishes and paint colors work to further reduce the visual bulk of the new buildings.
This transformative new mixed-use development is designed to reinvigorate the streetscape, create active pedestrian corridors to the river from Merrimack Street, and offer a variety of uses that significantly enhance the local business district. Among the properties included in the development was the Woolworth Building, which had been vacant for more than 40 years, and three other nearby parcels.
The site features two new midrise buildings: a five-story, 58,000 square foot commercial building with first floor tenants Haverhill Community TV studios; a UMass-Lowell satellite campus space on the second and third floors; headquarters for Pentucket Bank and additional office space on the upper floors; and a six-story 118,000 square foot mixed use building with ground floor riverfront restaurant space, commercial uses, and 80 residential units above.
A significant design challenge was to innovatively repurpose an imposing concrete wall built after the flood of 1836, which blotted out views and restricted access to the Merrimack River. The solution was to situate the two new structures and the public promenade on a raised development platform abutting the flood wall, allowing direct pedestrian access to the river, while also providing underground parking.
The interiors are designed to visually attract pedestrians into the enlivened and activated space, using contemporary elements, as well as reclaimed finishes to create stimulating focal areas. A combination of reclaimed wood, contemporary decorative pendants, stone and tile combine to create a vibrant and energetic space 24/7.
This new residential community transforms a former research campus into Avalon Sudbury, a modern lifestyle destination whose atmosphere draws on the classic New England feel of surrounding Sudbury, Massachusetts. The new neighborhood is an integral part of Meadow Walk Sudbury – a vibrant mixed-use development that includes a village retail center and generous public areas including a central green, all connected by a new network of roadways and walking paths. TAT’s design for this inviting development offers 250 mixed-income apartment homes across a series of 31 contextually scaled two- and three-story buildings, including townhomes and a unique 8 and 10-unit building type that incorporates a private entry, garage, and generous balcony space for every unit. A centrally located clubhouse structure provides a community focal point whose prominent tower forms a modern take on iconic regional architecture.
Ranging in size from one- to three-bedrooms, homes at Avalon Sudbury feature upscale and contemporary finishes, including modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances, quartz stone countertops, and glass tile backsplash. Residents can take advantage of amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, landscaped courtyards with fire pits and gas grills, a work center with various table options and custom knotted wool carpet, and the club house’s fitness center and yoga room. For those seeking an elegant place for relaxation or socialization, Avalon Sudbury’s club room features rich woods, a double-sided bluestone fireplace, custom Italian glass globe light fixtures, and a curated mixed-media art program.
Formerly known as Malden Mills, the original manufacturer of Polartec fleece, Loft Five50 is the first phase of a LEED for Homes Certifiable mixed-income 75 unit residential development. To preserve the structure’s historic architectural heritage, the adaptive reuse consisted of extensive masonry restoration and repair, retention of original interior detailing such as soaring wood beam ceilings and complete refurbishment of the original clock tower and stairway. Located along the Spicket River Greenway, the design incorporates a public river walk leading to Stevens Pond. Loft Five50 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Loft Five50 Phase Two is a 130,000 square foot, 62 unit affordable apartment complex assembled from four historic mill buildings to create two; Phase One and Two are indistinguishable from the outside. Connected via a firewall, the residents share ample amenities including a fitness center, theater room, lounge space and playroom. Phase Two has a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts intended for families, and includes a business center, resident activity room, and an expansion of the central landscaped courtyard and patio space.
Parkway 1208 is the first affordable multifamily community constructed in West Roxbury since 2013. The result of a robust public and private partnership, the LEED Gold development is intended to help alleviate the housing crisis for the city’s workforce and families, with some apartments reserved for low-income households transitioning out of homelessness. The 60 unit transit-oriented community features a comprehensive amenity program with an expansive ground-level flex space, including a community room and a resident lounge with a kitchenette for socialization, a conference room, a fitness area, and versatile co-working spaces—both private and communal. Drawing inspiration from nature, the interior design palette blends soft blues and greens with warm earth tones, creating a welcoming atmosphere for intergenerational residents.
Outdoor amenities offer a landscaped courtyard with a children’s play area, raised garden beds, walking paths, and green space open to the public. The inclusive community promotes walkability and accessibility to nearby retail, as well as cultural and outdoor attractions. Residents benefit from onsite parking, electric vehicle charging stations, pet washing station, and bicycle storage.
Located in a central downtown district 30 minutes outside of Boston, the Gateway North Apartments is a 71 unit, mixed-use development that transforms a formerly vacant site into an important community asset. Resulting from a 2008 master plan, the project is the first-ever multifamily property funded by Massachusetts’s Workforce Housing Initiative, and fills an important market gap with high-quality homes for low- and middle-income households.
With a façade including shingle and clapboard siding that reflects a classic New England vernacular, TAT’s design for Gateway North Apartments creates a fresh yet contextual presence in the heart of Lynn’s Central Square neighborhood. Located on a prominent corner site just blocks from a commuter rail station, the carefully scaled six-story structure offers ground-floor commercial space and responds to its sensitive floodplain location with a landscaped and fully accessible elevated podium form. Inside, a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units combine bright pops of color with warm, muted tones and high-end finishes for a contemporary, upscale feel. Lobby and common areas feature bold art installations and custom pendant lighting fixtures, while the amenity program includes a large central space with two-sided fireplace and communal kitchen open to both residents and the community at large, a smaller-scaled resident lounge space, a fitness center, a combined cáfe/coffee shop, and a landscaped outdoor patio. Hailed by local and state officials as a transformative housing development, Gateway North is anticipated to set a new precedent for smart housing growth in the region.
Located in a central downtown district 30 minutes outside of Boston, the Gateway North Apartments is a 71 unit, mixed-use development that transforms a formerly vacant site into an important community asset. Resulting from a 2008 master plan, the project is the first-ever multifamily property funded by Massachusetts’ Workforce Housing Initiative and fills an important market gap with high-quality homes for low- and middle-income households.
With a façade including shingle and clapboard siding that reflects a classic New England vernacular, TAT’s design for Gateway North Apartments creates a fresh yet contextual presence in the heart of Lynn’s Central Square neighborhood. Located on a prominent corner site just blocks from a commuter rail station, the carefully scaled six-story structure offers ground-floor commercial space and responds to its sensitive floodplain location with a landscaped and fully accessible elevated podium form. Inside, a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units combine bright pops of color with warm, muted tones and high-end finishes for a contemporary, upscale feel. Lobby and common areas feature bold art installations and custom pendant lighting fixtures, while the amenity program includes a large central space with two-sided fireplace and communal kitchen open to both residents and the community at large, a smaller-scaled resident lounge space, a fitness center, a combined cáfe/coffee shop, and a landscaped outdoor patio. Hailed by local and state officials as a transformative housing development, Gateway North is anticipated to set a new precedent for smart housing growth in the region.
Located on a scenic wooded site 30 minutes from Boston, Avalon Easton is a new, 290 unit, mixed income apartment community that offers a compelling and amenity-rich contemporary lifestyle experience. TAT’s master plan for the community prioritizes outdoor amenity space and sensitively scaled buildings, with the 424,172 square foot campus centered on a large Community Clubhouse surrounded by a sequence of nine townhome buildings and nine three-story garden buildings connected by a network of pedestrian paths and landscaped green space.
Drawing on traditional New England architectural elements, TAT’s design for the Energy Star-certified Avalon Easton creates a mix of one- to three-bedroom homes, including in loft and townhouse styles. Individual apartments emphasize a bright, airy environment with high ceilings, large windows and a variety of available high-end finishes in mixed metal, wood, and stone. Broad amenity offerings have the large Community Clubhouse as a focal point, where residents can find artwork and custom sectional sofas, tables, chairs, and porcelain tile millwork. Other amenities include a fitness center with dedicated yoga room, as well as resident-accessible office space and outdoor areas such as a pool, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, central courtyard, playground, dog run, and several barbecue spaces.
The 100+-year-old Nockege River Mill Building, formerly home to the Fitchburg Yarn Company, is situated on 7.4-acres on the bank of the Nashua River. Spanning 182,500 square feet across three floors, the thoughtful restoration and adaptive reuse of the historic structure features 57 oversized, modern market-rate loft units. The building boasts more than 280, 8-foot by 10-foot windows, providing each unit with expansive views and an abundance of natural light. Of the total 96 units, 39 are designated as affordable. The reimagined space offers community areas, a fitness center with yoga room, and a grand central atrium gallery, featuring exposed brick, beams and columns throughout.
Due to the building’s proximity to the river, flood mitigation was central to the design solution; a concrete slab was built 27″ higher than the original wood deck, resulting in the first floor sitting above the 100-year floodplain. Additional restoration work included repointing and repairing the exterior brick envelope and chimney stack, as well as structural reinforcement to the roof.
Yarn Works is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is LEED Certifiable.
Spectra at Sibley Square is a new 104 unit, adaptive reuse luxury apartment community combining historic character with the latest in contemporary design and market-leading amenities. A mix of units, ranging from studio to three-bedroom, feature vaulted ceilings and large windows framing expansive city views. The unique floorplans incorporate historic elements such as restored brick and millwork. Stylish materials and finishes complement the historic feel of the original Sibley building while offering a luxurious, modern atmosphere. Within each unit, kitchens feature quartz countertops, glass tile backsplashes, richly toned custom wood cabinetry, and designer hardware.
A wide range of amenities encourage residents to make the most of Spectra at Sibley Square, and include a luxurious entertaining kitchen and lounge area with custom pool table, oversized chesterfield sofa and built-in leather banquette seating. The feature element of the resident lounge is a striking Cararra Marble and walnut millwork divider wall, custom fabricated in Rochester. Rounding-out the amenities is a private TV/media room, work-from-home library lounge with flexible workspaces, a private rentable conference room, fitness center with an interactive spin studio, kids’ play area, an indoor pet play space, and an expansive rooftop terrace with lounge furniture and grilling stations. Located just blocks from transit, Spectra at Sibley Square offers the best of urban living, framed by the rich character of history.
The rehabilitation of three historic mills into 143 luxury rental apartments was completed in three phases and began the celebrated revival of the Lower Mills historic district. The design capitalizes on the spaces formed between the buildings and adjacent natural rock outcroppings to create residential entry courtyards which step sequentially down to the Neponset River. The firm later renovated the historic factory administration building into what is now known as the Walter Baker Chocolate Lofts, which includes 13 artist live/works lofts, gallery space, and meeting rooms arranged around a three-story central atrium.
Cape Cod’s first 55+ active independent living community, Everleigh Cape Cod, brings 225 apartment homes to a prime location just minutes from downtown Hyannis. With a compelling mix of one- and two-bedroom units, including 23 affordable residences, the LEED Certifiable project represents an important new housing resource for an area traditionally under-served with high-quality rental options.
TAT’s thoughtful design approach offers a bright and open living environment realized in an attractive New England vernacular style. Inventive touches include a roofline pitched to conceal mechanical equipment with dormers appearing as an occupiable attic, helping the five-story building fit into its surrounding neighborhood while also meeting FAA requirements necessitated by its location near an airport.
With over 17,000 square feet of recreational space, Everleigh Cape Cod features a wide array of outdoor amenities such as a pool, dog park, meditation garden, and pickle ball and bocce courts arrayed across three large south-facing courtyards. Other key amenity areas include a theater, chef’s kitchen, and yoga/fitness center as well as a business center, library, and art gallery and studio space. Residents can also take advantage of a 143-space underground parking garage, the first of its size on Cape Cod and a unique point of differentiation. Every individual unit features large windows for abundant natural light, as well as upscale finishes including wide-plank flooring, kitchens with islands, quartz countertops, glass-tiled backsplashes and under-cabinet lighting. A number of the two-bedroom units also offer extended layouts with den areas. Interior design by StudioSIX5.
As one of Worcester’s iconic downtown buildings, the old Worcester County Courthouse has proudly stood at the gateway to the city’s historic institutional district since the 19th century. The original two-story, granite building constructed in 1843, contained just one formal courtroom with a handful of ancillary spaces to support the local community’s daily judicial system. As the city grew over the next century, the building also expanded with three distinct additions built in 1878 and 1898 (Old Courthouse), and then most recently in 1955 (Annex). Each addition reflected the current design aesthetic and construction techniques of its associated era. Converting this landmark to residential use with 118 units required a thoughtful, respectful, and comprehensive vision.
In addition to the typical façade, fenestration, and roof restoration considerations that historic buildings must undergo, careful design attention was required by National Park Service and Massachusetts Historical Commission to preserve courtrooms from each era of construction, along with restoring main entry spaces, circulation corridors, stairs, ceilings, flooring, stained glass, and spatial volumes. The deep floor plate of the Old Courthouse was a direct result of the multiple additions, and left many internal spaces lacking daylight. To bring natural light back into the core of the building, as necessary to maximize residential units, the design team created two interior courtyards by opening back up previous floor infills. When the 1955 Annex addition was constructed, it infilled a third location between the 1878 and 1898 additions. This floor infill was also removed, opening the original 19th century granite facades up to the sky after being hidden for 70 years, and pouring natural light into the knuckle of the building.
One major challenge for the design team was converting the very complicated circulation path of a courthouse into meaningful and useful residential circulation while meeting present day code requirements. Some of the original 32 stairs were maintained and restored, while others were demolished and infilled to create usable square footage. Similarly, careful consideration was necessary in highly ornate retained historic spaces while installing updated mechanical and electrical systems and introducing a sprinkler system to the building for the first time in its history.
The largest retained historic courtroom and grand common spaces with ornate wood moldings and details in the Old Courthouse are converted into unique residential amenity areas, while other salvaged courtrooms are restored and converted into residential units full of character. The mid-century modern design aesthetic of the 1955 Annex is maintained through its restored blush-toned marble cladding in the hallways and new expansive low-E glass curtainwall windows of the loft units, custom designed to match the original curtainwall configuration.
A public museum space honoring cyclist Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor is located on the first floor of the 1878 addition, directly off the Worcester’s historic Main Street. An alley of original flowering trees guides visitors from the sidewalk to the historic building entrance and into the world of a local Worcester hero who strived to break down racial barriers at the turn of the 20th century.
The decade-long redevelopment of Old Colony, originally built in 1940, involves one of the country’s oldest federal public housing developments. It was the single largest property in the Boston Housing Authority’s portfolio and the most distressed with ageing infrastructure and high energy consumption. The sustainable multi-building campus design is the result of broad stakeholder participation, which reimagined the historic public housing community and laid out a strategic vision to knit Old Colony back into the fabric of the South Boston neighborhood. The original master plan by NBBJ involved the demolition of seven dilapidated buildings and the design and construction of numerous new buildings to create an entirely affordable housing community. Existing superblocks have been broken down and replaced with new neighborhood scale blocks to incorporate pedestrian-friendly streets and open spaces with view corridors to the adjacent park and waterfront. The firm designed a mix of midrise and townhome buildings with diverse architecture and heights, responsive to the surrounding context.
Phase One, completed in 2011, provides 116 LEED Platinum Certified affordable units and a 10,000 square foot LEED Gold Certified Tierney Learning Center, which promotes education, wellness, and community building among Old Colony residents and the entire South Boston neighborhood. Completed in 2015, Phase Two was awarded a HOPE VI grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides an additional 169 units. Phase Three represents a $150 million investment and includes three subphases. Having replaced 250 existing units, Phase Three A offers 135 new apartments and Phase Three B offers 115. Phase Three C will create 55 Passive House Certified units for seniors and people with disabilities, adding to the City’s affordable housing stock. The redevelopment was voted Best Urban Project in the nation by Affordable Housing Finance.
Located on a tranquil, 6.2-acre site in Bloomington, Indiana, Evergreen Village at Bloomington is a new, 115 unit affordable assisted-living community offering a full spectrum of services. Serving an emerging demographic of moderate-income, Medicaid-eligible seniors who earn less than 60% of the area’s median income (AMI), this Residential Care Facility (RCF) fills an important affordability “gap” in current market offerings.
With a broad array of amenity spaces and a mix of studio and one-bedroom homes, the four-story, 100,000 square foot project is designed to encourage independence and socialization while supporting residents’ daily needs. Programming focuses on efficient and complementary layouts that foster ease of use for both residents and staff, with common spaces and residential “neighborhoods” oriented around elevator cores on each floor to minimize walking distances. Related amenity and service areas are grouped together to facilitate resident or family gatherings while minimally impacting staff operations. With an emphasis on wellness and opportunities for engagement and mobility, amenities include co-located bistro and dining areas, an activity room and fitness facility, general store, theater, library and computer room, as well as on-site clinician and therapy facilities. Residents can also enjoy easy access to nearby shopping, restaurants, and healthcare services, as well as a bike path and the Jackson Creek Walking Trail.
The firm served as the Architect of Record during Schematic and Design Development phases of a new multipurpose residential, academic, and MIT community programmed adaptive reuse of the famed Metropolitan Warehouse building. A large component of the first level of the project was a new 17,000 square foot “makerspace” or creative lab space to serve the MIT community as a whole, and to provide a new central hub for the MIT network of maker labs dispersed throughout the campus. The TAT design team was responsible for negotiating the highly complex intersection of concerns across the many stakeholders regarding this proposed new space – balancing the concerns of transparency, accessibility to all students, prioritizing a safe working environment, fostering a creative and inclusive community, and collaborating with outside designers to achieve a notable, inventive and inspired design aesthetic.
The space is designed to offer many laboratory-like discrete spaces for working with metals, wood, plastics, et al; each requiring specific mechanical, structural, and security solutions to achieve the client’s goals throughout. The result was a succinct design strategy of an open central gathering and co-working space which serves to organize the more specific machine and laboratory spaces around the perimeter. This allows the staff to easily see and hear various concurrent activities and provide any necessary support as well as contribute to the collaborative environment which has a great benefit to the students.
Built in 1907, Ludlow Mill 10 was originally part of the larger Ludlow Mills industrial complex and home to one of the world’s largest producers of jute cloth, rope and twine. Once a powerhouse of manufacturing, the building remained derelict for nearly a decade prior to its rehabilitation and adaptation. The design team’s work included a complete restoration of the structure and facade, as well as artfully adapting the building’s 108,000 square feet to 75 modern apartments for seniors with amenities including a fitness center, resident lounge, reading book nook, and computer lounge.
Tenants of the Residences at Mill 10 enjoy access to the adjacent reestablished Riverwalk on the Chicopee River, and co-location with small manufacturing and design businesses, a microbrewery, as well as a rehabilitation hospital. LEED Certifiable, all buildings within the complex are contributing resources to the Ludlow Village Historic District, and are listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
Located on a scenic wooded site 30 minutes from Boston, Avalon Easton is a new, 290 unit, mixed income apartment community that offers a compelling and amenity-rich contemporary lifestyle experience. TAT’s master plan for the community prioritizes outdoor amenity space and sensitively scaled buildings, with the 424,172 square foot campus centered on a large Community Clubhouse surrounded by a sequence of nine townhome buildings and nine three-story garden buildings connected by a network of pedestrian paths and landscaped green space.
Drawing on traditional New England architectural elements, TAT’s design for the Energy Star-certified Avalon Easton creates a mix of one- to three-bedroom homes, including in loft and townhouse styles. Individual apartments emphasize a bright, airy environment with high ceilings, large windows and a variety of available high-end finishes in mixed metal, wood, and stone. Broad amenity offerings have the large Community Clubhouse as a focal point, where residents can find artwork and custom sectional sofas, tables, chairs, and porcelain tile millwork. Other amenities include a fitness center with dedicated yoga room, as well as resident-accessible office space and outdoor areas such as a pool, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, central courtyard, playground, dog run, and several barbecue spaces.
Originally constructed in the 1840s, Counting House Lofts 71 is the adaptive reuse of a historic industrial warehouse situated on the former Hamilton Manufacturing Company campus in Lowell, Mass. It was the earliest structure remaining within the complex that once produced cotton and wool textiles with more than 17,000 active spindles, and was later the home of Adden Furniture Company. The six-story Greek Revival structure features rock-faced granite sills and unusually heavy lintels that project farther than is typical, with granite blocks beneath each end — similar to the impost blocks of an arch. During the extensive restoration and rehabilitation, the design team meticulously separated and stored bricks, sills and lintels for subsequent reinstallation. The 170+-year-old building suffered considerable subsurface deterioration, requiring the removal of large portions of the structure to reconstruct and stabilize the foundation. Additionally, the northeast corner of the exterior wall necessitated rebuilding due to increased ground settling above the active sluiceway that once provided power to the complex — the reconstruction was closely monitored by the local historic commission to ensure the salvaged materials were accurately reinstalled.
The $15.6M project created 75 loft-style, market-rate units with two set aside for those with household incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income. Nearly two-thirds of the units are one-bedroom, with the remaining divided between one-bedrooms with dens and two-bedrooms. The 95,000 square foot historic building is adjacent to the award-winning adaptive reuse project Counting House Lofts, also designed by the firm. The site is listed on National Register of Historic Places. The property, which incorporates state-of-the-art green sustainability features is LEED Certifiable.
Livingston School, formerly known as the Philip Livingston Magnet Academy, was constructed during the Depression-era to teach vocational skills to the unemployed and was used as a public school for the Albany community until it became vacant in 2009. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the iconic building has been thoughtfully converted into a 103 unit mixed-income senior living community and is Energy Star Qualified Home V.3. Its revitalization created 12 studio apartments, 76 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom apartments, with 11 handicapped-accessible units, and five suited for the hearing or visually impaired. The $20.7M project consisted of a historically sensitive renovation of the academy, maintaining the historic fabric of the structure – transforming classrooms into apartment homes, and adapting large open areas that once housed the administrative offices, an auditorium and two-story library into amenity spaces for the residents. This active living facility features a spacious lounge with community kitchen and entertainment, Wi-Fi, fitness facilities, a library, media center, wellness center for visiting practitioners, ample seating areas and common laundries. The attentively landscaped gardens, patios and outdoor space abuts an 80-acre urban nature preserve.
Founded in 1825, the Hamilton Manufacturing Company operated as a textile mill until production ceased in 1926. The three-story brick Italianate building originally known as the “Counting House” served as the administrative center, watch house and transportation hub with direct access into the mill yard. The structure has a distinctly decorative appearance, with the corners and bays of its 690-foot long walls defined by brick pilasters with brick capitals, above which are deep corbelled-brick cornices below a heavy, wide roof overhang. The windows have rough granite sills and graceful Italianate caps of rowlocks and soldiers arranged in a segmental arch with drops on each side.
The long and narrow configuration of the building, measuring just 45 feet wide, is constrained by its position between the Hamilton Canal and pre-existing spur railroad tracks. The major portion of the building is merely two bays in width, while the easterly section widens to three bays and is another four bays long. The design maintains the existing interior train bay by incorporating it into four residential units, and thoughtfully integrates the 8’-0” column spacing to attain 52 unique living spaces and amenity spaces, including: a lounge, gourmet kitchen, laundry room, fitness room, and an outside patio.
LEED Certifiable, this historic building is a contributing resource within the Locks and Canal Historic District, a district listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark.
The Union at 48 Boylston is the $31.2M preservation and rehabilitation of the former Boston Young Men’s Christian Union (BYMCU) building, originally constructed in 1875 and home to a nonprofit of the same name. The Union at 48 Boylston is the most accomplished building in the High Victorian Gothic idiom remaining in Boston and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The development provides 46 units of affordable housing, including 25 targeted to those who have experienced homelessness – serving some of the most vulnerable in a gentrifying neighborhood. The project includes 12,000 square feet for St. Francis House’s administrative offices and a substance abuse counseling program. In addition, the Urban Hound at St. Francis House, a dog day care and grooming venture, provides job training and employment opportunities for residents and clients.
Originally constructed in 1895, The Walker School is the historic adaptive reuse of a former elementary school into 40 units of affordable housing for seniors aged 62 and older. A three-story brick Georgian Revival building with a hip roof, and a facade 11 bays wide, is organized in a four-three-four window pattern. The main entrance is in the center bay, set in a round-arch opening, with flanking bays featuring small oval windows. A compatible addition was added in 1924 to accommodate increased enrollment. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the former school remained vacant for nearly a decade prior to its rehabilitation.
Artfully restoring the structure for new use, the firm converted 16 light-filled historic classrooms into one-bedroom units. Classroom chalkboards, storage hutches, and large vertical closet doors complete with pulley systems are preserved within units. Exacting efforts include the restoration of the wood wainscotting in the corridors along with the original wood flooring throughout. A three-story, 20,660 square foot contemporary addition, comprised of brick at the ground level and stucco at the upper two levels, houses the remaining 24 units.
The school’s wide-set, spacious corridors allow ample resident seating and congregating spaces to increase socialization, ambulation, and wellbeing. Resident amenities include a community room with a kitchenette, a mailroom, laundry facilities, and on-site management offices. The property is located near the Weir Village Riverfront Park and the Taunton River, and is serviced by the Greater Taunton Regional Transit Authority bus line, which provides access to regional stores and amenities.
The Mary E. Wells School was originally designed by the renowned architectural firm Peabody and Sterns and built in two phases between 1916 and 1923, with a modest addition to the rear of the building in the 1980s. As the first public high school in Southbridge, Massachusetts, it functioned continuously as an educational building for nearly a century until it was vacated in 2012. The firm adapted the 117,655 square foot structure into the award-winning Residences at Wells School, a residential community comprised of 62 light-filled one-and two-bedroom units for seniors 55 and older.
This $25.3M mixed-income community features a fitness and yoga studio, activity room, movie theater, game room, wellness suite, a library with private work pods, and in-house laundry facilities. The innovative program includes a grandchildren’s play area, a generous interior landscaped courtyard, and the adaptation of the existing school hallway into a circulation corridor for residents. Sustainable design strategies improved the building’s thermal structure, envelop density, and air infiltration system resulting in its certification as an Enterprise Green Community.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the school’s historic character has been thoughtfully preserved and restored with creative nods back to its original use, including exposed brick walls, original school lockers, a repurposed gymnasium floor in the tenant lounge and fitness spaces, and the reuse of the sports scoreboard as an ornamental fixture. The interior design approach incorporates rich tones of blue and gray throughout accented by black metal finishes and mid-century modern furnishings with bold colors and patterns. Batten wall millwork is featured in the lobby and resident lounge with a combination of light and darker wood tones for added warmth. The nostalgic artwork is a collection of local historic photography, original images of the former school, and yearbook memorabilia.
The development provides much-needed housing for local seniors at all income levels. The community includes four units designated for clients of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, four units for physically disabled residents, and another three units for those with sensory impairments.
The preservation and adaptive reuse of the 1920s Machon Elementary School involved converting the original school building and the replacement of its 1963 addition with a new contemporary structure. The independent living community features 38 one-bedroom units for individuals aged 55+. Rehabilitating the historic exterior involved repairing the copper cornice and rebuilding sections of the deteriorated façade. Working closely with the Swampscott Historical Commission, the defunct windows were replaced with aluminum historic replicas, existing slate chalk boards were salvaged and used as decorative interior elements, and original wood doors were reclaimed as a screen wall in the main entry lobby.
The 17,383 square foot addition complements the original school by rhythmically echoing its cornice and window groupings, while the new façade utilizes cement fiber panels and brick veneer to provide a visual connection to the historic structure. Shallow bay windows were employed as a design element to delineate residential use. Reimagining the existing two-story auditorium, the team designed and inserted a third structural floor to create needed volume for the community’s library and screening room. The main entrance of the existing school sat several feet above grade and was reconfigured to provide a new focal point and accessible entry for residents. The exterior program emphasizes a strong visual connection between the landscaped site, the neighborhood, and the open public space.
The units are affordable to households earning less than 60% of area median income (AMI), eight of which are further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI. The project complied with the Stretch Energy Code and followed Energy Star Homes. Resident amenities include a community room with a grand fireplace, a library and screening room, laundry facilities, mailroom, and a fitness center. A full-time on-site service coordinator will connect residents to area resources and service providers as well as facilitate social, cultural, and wellness activities.
The $19.2M historic conversion of a 114-year-old, three-story 20th-century former cotton textile mill marks the completion of the phased redevelopment of Manomet Place. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the original Manomet Mills Complex was built in the early 1900s along the Acushnet River and later housed the Cliftex Corporation, a textile clothing company.
Phase one successfully rehabilitated a 142,000 square foot portion of the mill into a 76 unit mixed-income age-restricted community. The second phase completed ten years later, involved the adaptation of the adjacent 135,732 square foot mill into 71 one-, two-, and three-bedroom affordable and workforce units, restricted to residents aged 55+. A newly updated shared entry lobby and leasing office seamlessly connect the two phases, resulting in a unified, contiguous structure.
As part of the extensive restoration, the exterior masonry was repaired, repointed, and cleaned for long-term stability and architectural integrity. Forty-eight monitor window units and 176 oversized windows more than seven feet wide and 12 feet high were replaced with historically appropriate, double-paned, Low-E replicas. The new windows allow natural daylight to enter the units while minimizing heat transfer and reducing heat loss by as much as 50%.
The mill’s exceptionally large floorplates – boasting 92 15-foot columns, and 115 25-foot beam sections, made from an estimated 250+ Southern Yellow Pine Old-Growth trees – posed a challenge for the residential program. The resulting design creatively uses the 27.5-foot-wide corridors as flexible resident amenity space. A light-filled library with a custom double-sided sofa, work pods, expansive mailroom, resident café lounge, and makerspace are demarcated by custom metal partitions along the 264-foot central hallway. Anchored at the northern-facing end, a game lounge offers flexible resident activity space with comfortable seating, a kitchenette, a TV, and a pool table.
Existing historic monitor window openings on the third floor allow additional light to filter into the central residential corridor. Thoughtfully planned routing and placement of piping and ventilation ducts complement the building’s design exposing architectural surfaces and details such as the original pine decking, while mediating the spatial volume.
An outdoor patio area, scheduled to be completed in 2023, will feature a garden shed with rain barrels and potting tables, communal lounge space, a bocce court, a gazebo, grills, and new landscaping with native plantings that protect the riverfront wetland buffer. Designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) sustainability standards, the revitalized structure is solar panel-ready and benefits from contemporary hybrid-style HVAC heat pumps to promote energy efficiency.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1M square foot Sibley Building in downtown Rochester, N.Y., is the new home for regional business incubator NextCorps. With a combination of co-working areas, private zones and office suites, conference rooms, biotech labs, and maker spaces, TAT’s design creates a state-of-the-art, flexible space that accommodates the wide range of uses necessitated by NextCorps’ entrepreneurs. Reflecting a desire for an open, collaborative atmosphere, amenities include a roof deck, large auditorium, and common gathering areas such as a game room and café lounge.
Carefully preserved and restored historic detailing, including original custom millwork is featured throughout the space, along with murals by local artists highlighting a connection to Rochester’s history as a center of architectural and technological innovation. A neutral color palette creates a sense of visual unity, contrasting with wall coverings, carpeting, acoustically sealed booths, and movable furniture elements whose bright colors help define distinct workspaces and create points of accent for the historic features. With short walks to transit, and easy access to the rest of Sibley Square’s vibrant residential, commercial, restaurant and retail spaces, NextCorps sits at the heart of economic rebirth in downtown Rochester.
This National Register of Historic Places-listed structure was built in 1955 and originally served as a dormitory for the Cardinal Cushing Center, one of the country’s leading schools for children with developmental disabilities. The renovation and adaptive reuse of the local landmark into Bethany Apartments reimagines the structure as contemporary and attractive residences, providing the community with 37 units of much-needed affordable housing. Utilizing historic tax credits and working closely with the State of Massachusetts and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, TAT has preserved the historic envelope of the three-story H-shaped brick building, maintaining the existing structure while creating a mix of bright and airy one, two, and three-bedroom homes within. Extensive renovation work included thermal improvement to a number of large historic windows and careful restoration of interior wainscoting and moldings; new elements include the addition of interior storm windows to enhance building envelope performance while preserving the historic exterior appearance. Taking advantage of the former school building’s impressive scale and layout, TAT designed a number of amenity spaces, the highlight of which is a fully programmed 2,000-square-foot-plus common area with 15-foot ceilings, located within a historic chapel.
The $18 million modernization of Newcastle Saranac Apartments involved the rehabilitation of two masonry walk-up buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in Boston’s South End. The design team upgraded the structures by performing extensive masonry repairs, roof and window replacements, kitchen and bathroom unit upgrades including the installation of energy efficient appliances. A complete overhaul of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems included boiler replacement with contemporary models, a measure predicted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent.
Preservation efforts featured the restoration of the Newcastle Building’s historic iron cast clock and decorative metal gate, both of which date from the early 1900s. Cutting-edge environmental remediation systems were installed at the Saranac Building, to lessen environmental impact and extract pollutants from the soil. Amenities include a resident community lounge, laundry facilities, a private interior courtyard at The Newcastle Apartments, and on-site management.
Protecting existing residents from displacement and preserving the affordability of the mixed-income properties was a primary goal of the redevelopment. Of the 97 units, 82 are affordable to households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with eight of those units being supported by project-based Section 8 rental subsidy and 30 supported by Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program vouchers, with 69 units are affordable to households earning at or below 60 percent of AMI.
A transit-oriented development, the Newcastle Saranac Apartments are located just minutes from the MBTA Orange Line subway and bus lines along Massachusetts Avenue. Walkable attractions include Boston Symphony Hall, the Museum of Fine arts and New England Conservatory of Music, Northeastern University, and other conveniences like schools, hospitals, retail, and restaurants.
Located within the award-winning Boott Mill complex, the Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI) offers UMass Lowell students and researchers a state-of-the-art space to conduct their laboratory work. The 10,000 square foot research facility includes a wet lab, microbiology lab, demonstration and analytic lab. The soaring ceiling heights and open floor plan allows for visual oversight of the students and staff — ensuring a high level of safety and security. The microbiology lab includes a traditional hood and flexible snorkel-style ventilation system, compressed air delivery, and gas/electrical service. Data wiring and device compatibility are designed to meet the university’s strict standards. Extensive use of environmentally-conscious products finish the space, including natural rubber flooring and low VOC paint and adhesives. The facility’s design allows students and staff to collaborate with local businesses, community organizations, and government agencies in flexible meeting spaces, while an on-site scientific library helps to further their advances in discovering alternatives to the use of toxic chemicals.
Located just steps from public transit and near Boston’s buzzing Fenway neighborhood, Village at Brookline is a contemporary apartment and townhome community that offers a compelling alternative to high-rise living. Across 191 units ranging from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom, three-story townhouses, TAT’s design for the fully renovated and upgraded interiors brings the latest in high-end finishes and materials. All homes feature skylights and direct entry with attached patio, and offer elements such as wide-plank flooring, full LED pendant lighting, Quartz counters, and stainless steel appliances in the island kitchens. Bathrooms are finished with porcelain tile flooring, custom gloss cabinetry, and decorative ceramic shower surrounds. Residents have access to a number of amenities, including a community room and onsite parking.
Situated in the heart of Melrose and adjacent to a vibrant retail corridor, The Residence at Melrose Station represents an ideal urban-situated assisted living and memory care facility. Approaching the design more like that of a luxury hotel, the team adapted traditional programmatic elements with an amenity-based focus and utilized upscale finishes, furniture, and lighting to promote an engaging atmosphere. The inherent advantage of locating longer-term health services in more densely populated areas – where people have lived and worked – often eases the transition, and translates to increased visitations from family and friends.
The central rotunda features a focal wall accented with fine art sculptures and an array of comfortable and flexible seating options. The adjacent bistro, with its custom banquettes, provides inviting and light-filled space for socializing. The dining room incorporates contemporary furniture options and a double-sided fireplace, providing an ideal space for residents to gather.
Other amenities include a theater room with custom seating, fitness center with physical and occupational therapy stations, salon, country kitchen, and library with large-scale custom tables. Large-format porcelain tile, ceruse white oak detailing, and decorative light fixtures accentuate the high ceilings and large-format storefront windows which further promote a beneficial sense of integration with the community. The project is National Green Building Standard Silver Certified.
Combining adaptive reuse with new construction at the former site of McFadden Manor, Forestdale Park is an 80-unit senior and assisted living community. The 77,500 square foot property offers three independent living units, 59 studio and one-bedroom assisted living apartments, and 18 memory care units. Realized as a series of wings encircling an extensive central courtyard, the structure creates a contextual street presence, with massing that takes advantage of its sloping site, scaling up from a single story at the entrance wing to three and then four stories at the back. Interiors combine a mix of warm-toned woods and vibrant patterns, easing resident wayfinding and delineating spaces. Expansive common areas including a community kitchen with vaulted, wood-paneled ceiling, a large dining and event space, and landscaped outdoor patios. Fully integrated into the surrounding neighborhood, residents are afforded access to the area’s shopping, dining, and cultural attractions, as well as to local medical facilities.
Combining adaptive reuse with new construction at the former site of McFadden Manor, Forestdale Park is an 80-unit senior and assisted living community. The 77,500 square foot property offers three independent living units, 59 studio and one-bedroom assisted living apartments, and 18 memory care units. Realized as a series of wings encircling an extensive central courtyard, the structure creates a contextual street presence, with massing that takes advantage of its sloping site, scaling up from a single story at the entrance wing to three and then four stories at the back. Interiors combine a mix of warm-toned woods and vibrant patterns, easing resident wayfinding and delineating spaces. Expansive common areas including a community kitchen with vaulted, wood-paneled ceiling, a large dining and event space, and landscaped outdoor patios. Fully integrated into the surrounding neighborhood, residents are afforded access to the area’s shopping, dining, and cultural attractions, as well as to local medical facilities.
Located on a tranquil, 6.2-acre site in Bloomington, Indiana, Evergreen Village at Bloomington is a new, 115 unit affordable assisted-living community offering a full spectrum of services. Serving an emerging demographic of moderate-income, Medicaid-eligible seniors who earn less than 60% of the area’s median income (AMI), this Residential Care Facility (RCF) fills an important affordability “gap” in current market offerings.
With a broad array of amenity spaces and a mix of studio and one-bedroom homes, the four-story, 100,000 square foot project is designed to encourage independence and socialization while supporting residents’ daily needs. Programming focuses on efficient and complementary layouts that foster ease of use for both residents and staff, with common spaces and residential “neighborhoods” oriented around elevator cores on each floor to minimize walking distances. Related amenity and service areas are grouped together to facilitate resident or family gatherings while minimally impacting staff operations. With an emphasis on wellness and opportunities for engagement and mobility, amenities include co-located bistro and dining areas, an activity room and fitness facility, general store, theater, library and computer room, as well as on-site clinician and therapy facilities. Residents can also enjoy easy access to nearby shopping, restaurants, and healthcare services, as well as a bike path and the Jackson Creek Walking Trail.
Located just 30 minutes from downtown Boston, Oak Row is an 80-unit contemporary luxury apartment community offering a unique blend of city and suburban living. Catering to a wide range of resident populations, from empty-nesters to professionals and young families, this transit-oriented development is ideally sited in proximity to commuter rail and bus routes, and within easy walking distance to recreational opportunities at a 100-acre nature preserve.
TAT’s interior design program extends across Oak Row’s entire 139,000 square feet and includes the residential units as well as common and amenity spaces. With a compelling mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes in 20 different layouts, the atmosphere is modern and dynamic. All units feature high-end finishes including wide-plank wood floors, porcelain tiled-baths, LED lighting, and kitchens with custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, and energy efficient stainless steel appliances. Laid out with bold graphics, bright accents, and custom textural elements, Oak Row’s diverse amenity offerings include a community room and children’s playroom, fitness center and work lounge with private work pods, pet grooming, and bike storage with repair facilities. Providing both a sense of refuge and engagement, Oak Row embodies the best of a lifestyle-focused luxury development.
Situated on Manhasset Bay in Long Island, NY, Avalon Great Neck is a 191 unit, 245,000 square foot contemporary multifamily community. Catering to a lifestyle-conscious professional, the property is intended as a refined retreat for residents, taking full advantage of the development’s coastal location by optimizing expansive views of the water.
The award-winning interior design program includes the common and amenity spaces – modern, flexible and inviting – the design elements are seamlessly incorporated to create a continuous flow from one space to the next. The use of custom millwork throughout the foyer softens the Italian-quarry sourced stone and porcelain tile finishes. The adjoining fitness center and yoga room share a slatted wood ceiling, adding a natural artistic element of interest. In the double-height club room, welcoming grey tones combine with comfortable furniture elements to foster communication, connection and camaraderie, while vibrant jewel-toned lighting and accent decor energize the space.
Located in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, Kasanof Homes is a new affordable condominium property aimed at providing homes for local working families. TAT’s design transforms a formerly vacant lot into a much-needed community asset with a series of five individual townhouse buildings and one row house building. The massing is carefully scaled to provide a transition from the larger buildings along Blue Hill Avenue to the residential neighborhood beyond. The three story row house building is a familiar urban form which can be seen throughout Boston, with walk-up units accessed directly by a stair from the sidewalk. Each unit has a large bay window which defines the entry below. In contrast, the townhouse buildings are smaller in scale and residential elements such as sloped roofs, dormers and covered porches serve to weave this development into the surrounding residential neighborhood. All buildings utilize clapboard siding as the main exterior material but variety is achieved through different roof forms on the townhouse buildings and different color siding throughout the development. A new interior street, Martha Williams Way, provides interior circulation and connects to adjacent parking and a children’s play area.
Kasanof Homes offers 16 duplex residential units, all with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The development’s central location provides residents with ready access to transportation, major employment centers within three miles, shopping around Blue Hill Avenue, and several schools. Kasanof Homes is an integral part of Roxbury’s efforts to expand moderate-income housing options. This is the second phase of a larger neighborhood master plan developed by TAT. The first phase, Thomas Atkins Apartments, was completed in 2011 and brought 48 affordable rental units and 3,650 square feet of retail to an adjacent site. Both phases are Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) Certified and are anticipated to achieve LEED Silver Certification.
Situated in the heart of Melrose and adjacent to a vibrant retail corridor, The Residence at Melrose Station represents an ideal urban-situated assisted living and memory care facility. Approaching the design more like that of a luxury hotel, the team adapted traditional programmatic elements with an amenity-based focus and utilized upscale finishes, furniture, and lighting to promote an engaging atmosphere. The inherent advantage of locating longer-term health services in more densely populated areas – where people have lived and worked – often eases the transition, and translates to increased visitations from family and friends.
The central rotunda features a focal wall accented with fine art sculptures and an array of comfortable and flexible seating options. The adjacent bistro, with its custom banquettes, provides inviting and light-filled space for socializing. The dining room incorporates contemporary furniture options and a double-sided fireplace, providing an ideal space for residents to gather.
Other amenities include a theater room with custom seating, fitness center with physical and occupational therapy stations, salon, country kitchen, and library with large-scale custom tables. Large-format porcelain tile, ceruse white oak detailing, and decorative light fixtures accentuate the high ceilings and large-format storefront windows which further promote a beneficial sense of integration with the community. The project is National Green Building Standard Silver Certified.
Designed to achieve LEED Silver for Core and Shell Construction, the firm’s historic reconstruction of an existing building located on the corner of Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue accommodates a new retailer, Room & Board. The four-story structure underwent extensive rehabilitation to include structurally stabilizing the building, repairing exterior masonry walls, and adding a four-story addition with a contemporary glass curtain wall visible from Massachusetts Avenue. The design of the interior incorporates a large visible circulation stair and two exterior patio spaces facing Newbury Street. The Architectural Team, Inc. served as Executive Architect with CBT as design architects.
TAT’s interior design team transformed the common areas of Quarrystone at Overlook Ridge into stylish and contemporary amenity spaces, inviting residents to relax and socialize. Custom details were strategically incorporated to integrate structural elements into the interior design. Exposure of the cross beams provided an opportunity to visually connect the artfully arranged spaces with recurring diagonal lines – reflected in the specified furnishings, materials, and artwork. Community areas are conceived for adaptability, with furniture and hardwearing fabrics that can be used for multiple, flexible functions and multigenerational activities. In order to enhance the perceived scale of the rooms, a neutral palette and finishes were selected, using wood elements to bring texture and warmth into the space. Bold accent colors lend visual interest without distracting from the stone and natural materials. The extensive renovations include the expansion of the fitness and yoga studios while incorporating a dedicated boxing area. Private work spaces and office pods were modernized along with a gaming room, cafe and library space, expanded clubroom with kitchen, and a child play area. The scope of work also included a comprehensive pool renovation and updates to the building’s corridors and exterior facade.
This transformative new mixed-use development is designed to reinvigorate the streetscape, create active pedestrian corridors to the river from Merrimack Street, and offer a variety of uses that will significantly enhance the local business district. Among the properties to be included in the development is the Woolworth Building, which has been vacant for over 40 years, and other nearby parcels. Phase one will feature two new midrise buildings: a five-story, 53,500 square foot commercial building with first floor retail, UMass Lowell Haverhill satellite campus space on the second and third floors, and office space on the upper floors; and a seven story 81,500 square foot commercial building with ground floor retail and river front restaurant space, a mix of commercial uses, boardwalk and public plaza – all built on a raised development platform that will allow direct access to the river while also providing underground parking. It is anticipated that an adjacent recreational boat dock facility with ocean access will further enhance this 1 1/2 acre downtown Haverhill waterfront site in the future.
Located within the award-winning Harbor Place complex in Haverhill, Pentucket Bank Plaza is a departure from the image that’s traditionally invoked when thinking of a bank. Taking inspiration from popular design trends in the residential sector, the space incorporates many natural tones and materials, accented with stark black framing on the artwork. Due to the location, and the beautiful views of the Merrimac river, the layout of the open workstations and offices take full advantage of the views afforded from sunrise to sunset. Custom millwork plays an important role in incorporating a sense of warmth to the space, while providing a focal point when you exit the elevator. An accent wall comprised of stone, mixed metals, and natural wood draws visitors to the reception area. Once inside the office, custom millwork features continue into the Corporate Boardroom which features a 12-person table crafted from reclaimed wood and wrought iron. Artwork from artists local to Haverhill finishes the space by adding vibrant tones to accent the otherwise neutral palette.
Located in the coastal community of Swampscott Massachusetts, Vinnin Square is a newly constructed continuum of care campus consisting of 84 units – 22 specific to memory care and 62 dedicated to independent and assisted living. The formation of a neighborhood setting was central to this project; by integrating the 77,500 square foot building into the site context it maximizes exposure to the commercial center of the town while providing the privacy of a larger residential community. The team re-graded the existing hillside by removing a portion of the prevailing knoll to maximize the building footprint and create picturesque views of the surrounding community and adjacent Tedesco Country Club.
The building vernacular is a traditional New England aesthetic, stylistically in keeping with the coastal location and incorporates many details, such as wide overhanging eaves with decorative bracket supports, batten board, and clapboard articulation. The interior and exterior color schemes take cues from the location, incorporating hues reflective of its surroundings, with the use of ocean blues and various sand tones, accented with traditional white trim. Once inside, residents and visitors enjoy traditionally-styled spaces accented with warm tones and dark stained wood, with views into connected programmatic areas.
One Wingate Way is the third and final phase of design for this property – creating a full post-acute continuum of care – from independent and assisted living to skilled nursing. This new community emphasizes wellness, socialization and active engagement for independent seniors through specific design configurations allowing the residents to visually experience five distinct programmatic spaces upon entering the lobby. The open design concept creates a pedestrian-friendly campus, linking interior spaces with exterior seating, sculpture gardens and green spaces.
This 52 unit facility features a two-story aquatic center with wellness spa including yoga, meditation, fitness and massage rooms. Other program spaces include an immersive theater, dining room with display kitchen, private dining area, living room with fireplace, library, bistro and outdoor patio linking to the exterior amenity space of the adjacent assisted living residence, The Residences at Wingate.
Working with an extremely narrow site, the design team was able to seamlessly connect the new 81,475 square foot building functionally to the existing, occupied assisting living facility. The interior design concept evokes a boutique hotel sensibility, achieved with the formation of intimate spaces in a selection of modern finishes that are scaled to the individual user or small groups of residents and families. Interior design by Jessica Schuster Design.
Nestled within a tranquil community, this 84 unit facility provides assisted living and memory care residents with an amenity-rich lifestyle. Utilizing a crescent shaped plan, the project team took advantage of the site’s natural slope, placing the main entry of the 72,000 square foot community on the second floor. The design successfully reduces the scale of the three-story building and deemphasizes institutional characteristics in favor of features that highlight the building’s residential character and traditional New England aesthetic. By following the natural contours of the site, the split-level design maintains a residentially scaled building in the context of the adjoining neighborhood.
Programming offers operational flexibility, focusing on an array of amenities intended to promote activity and engagement. The spaces are designed to permit visual connections among them, encouraging movement between “destinations”. The lobby features a double-sided fireplace, a library overlooking the grand stair, and a cafe-bistro with ceruse oak millwork and exposed beams. An outdoor patio provides residents with immediate access to walking trails and views of a private garden.
Located at the building’s rear, the memory care wing is designed with secure, dedicated amenities: an open serving kitchen, comfort-oriented living room, quiet space and an activity room. Direct access to a private fenced-in courtyard allows these higher acuity patients to have convenient, safe access to the outdoors.
This thoughtfully renovated 3,300 square foot yoga studio is designed to maximize natural daylight with interior clerestory glazing in the main studio and new windows in the rear of the building. The ground floor features light wood flooring, bright accent walls, and an expansive light-filled studio space. A newly installed stairway leads to the sizable secondary studio, complete with a locker area.
Artemis Yoga Studio activates an important city block in Coolidge Square, replacing a formerly vacant storefront and providing a modern amenity to Watertown residents.
Maplewood at Brewster is located in the charming Cape Cod town of Brewster, Mass. This new 132 unit assisted living and memory care property is both sophisticated and refined; employing an innovative design that redefines senior living communities. Approaching the building, residents and guests are welcomed by a sweeping porch and porte-cochere supported by naturally stained timbers, emphasizing a comfortable, relaxed and uplifting environment.
The dramatic entrance and reception lobby maximizes the use of natural light to create a spacious and stimulating environment, artfully harmonizing natural wood and stone elements. The floor plan revolves around a central living area, designed with a central common and building spine of dramatically varied and lit vaulted spaces encouraging socialization and interaction. Intimate, accessible spaces are ideal for family members and residents alike.
Amenity spaces serve as focal points adjoining the soaring central volume, including a bistro, spa salon, formal dining, health center with fitness room and pool. The heavy timber structure is balanced by large clerestory windows, which lends character and permeability to the organization of these social spaces and imbues the common areas with activity and energy. Indoor and outdoor ‘windows’ serve as picturesque visual connections into other areas, providing various perspectives.
The unique 2-level memory care wing is a seamless and elegant extension of the assisted living program, designed with short distances to resident destinations, and providing clinically appropriate levels of care. The interior scheme assists residents with their cognitive abilities through texture, color, wayfinding cues and elevated lighting levels.
The project was designed to meet LEED for Homes Certification, and is seeking LEED Silver Certification.
Located in the coastal community of Swampscott Massachusetts, Vinnin Square is a newly constructed continuum of care campus consisting of 84 units – 22 specific to memory care and 62 dedicated to independent and assisted living. The formation of a neighborhood setting was central to this project; by integrating the 77,500 square foot building into the site context it maximizes exposure to the commercial center of the town while providing the privacy of a larger residential community. The team re-graded the existing hillside by removing a portion of the prevailing knoll to maximize the building footprint and create picturesque views of the surrounding community and adjacent Tedesco Country Club.
The building vernacular is a traditional New England aesthetic, stylistically in keeping with the coastal location and incorporates many details, such as wide overhanging eaves with decorative bracket supports, batten board, and clapboard articulation. The interior and exterior color schemes take cues from the location, incorporating hues reflective of its surroundings, with the use of ocean blues and various sand tones, accented with traditional white trim. Once inside, residents and visitors enjoy traditionally-styled spaces accented with warm tones and dark stained wood, with views into connected programmatic areas.
Creating an engaging and sociable surrounding is at the heart of the design for this new 24-acre multifamily community development. The inviting and memorable common spaces are casually sophisticated, with accents of striking tonal grey limestone, rich wood tones and a rich palette of cobalt, emerald and pumpkin hues. Detailing includes the use of mirrors, natural fibers, abstract art and large focal lighting to add elements of interest throughout. The interior architecture and overall design of this 350 unit property – comprised of townhomes, midrise buildings and direct entry apartments, office center and resident amenity spaces – is an energetic environment that truly embodies modern living and convenience.
Located in the heart of Malden Square, this new five-story market-rate multifamily community features modern, stylish interiors cohesively aligned with its distinctive architecture and brick façade.
Within close proximity to restaurants, retail and public transportation, a portion of the building is gently set-back from the streetscape to create an open public space for passive recreation. The 195 luxury rental apartments open up to winding courtyards and a sprawling collection of indoor and outdoor retreats with urban-inspired décor, including a modish resident lounge complete with pool table and bar area, café, pool deck, movie room and 24/7 fitness center. 8,000 square feet of retail space and 171 onsite parking spaces complete the program.
Made possible by an innovative zoning modification to encourage smart growth in Wakefield’s town center, 642 Main Street successfully restores the historic pattern of ground-floor retail to attract pedestrian activity and increase walkability. Transforming a long-underutilized site, this 22,000 square foot mixed-use development consists of eight boutique condominiums ranging in size from one-, two- and three-bedrooms.
The firm’s design solution strikes an approachable tone with contemporary façade elements that reflect the textures, materials, and colors of the area and extensive windows and balconies to create visual interest. Located at the juncture of a commercial corridor and residential neighborhood, the massing is contextual in scale with a generous set back on the fourth floor/top floor to give the appearance of a 3-story building. Further step backs along the south and east sides provide a seamless transition to the scale of nearby lower density homes.
The seven corner units at the 2nd and 3rd floors are designed with substantial outdoor decks, while a one-of-a-kind penthouse unit includes a wrap-around terrace and views of nearby Crystal Lake. Twelve covered parking spaces and elevator access add to the unique appeal of this transit-oriented multifamily community. With 1,000 square feet of retail space, this modern four-story infill building dramatically alters the face of the growing district by adding density, improving the neighborhood fabric, and increasing housing and business diversity. TAT served as the design architect for the project in collaboration with DMS Design as the architect of record
The 40,000 square foot South Boston Boys & Girls Club required a complete gut renovation of the original 1940s structure in order to meet the dynamic and growing needs of its members. A new, fully accessible front entrance, stair and elevator were created to meet the Club’s inclusivity goals and provide a unified entrance and experience for all.
The interior programmatic spaces are redesigned to focus on serving three specific member groups: youth, pre-teen and teen. The youth areas on the second floor include a reading room, educational space, game room | lounge with a central circulation area. The pre-teen area located on the ground floor is situated in close proximity to the teen center, creating a synergistic atmosphere – although not directly connected – it is intended to inspire the younger members to remain engaged and actively participate in the program. Shared program areas include the pool, auditorium, dining room, music room, an art room with floor to ceiling windows, computer lab and gymnasium – each of these, with the exception of the pool, is located on the first floor to allow for maximum supervision and safety. Visibility was enhanced throughout the building by adding full glazing on doors, and colorful storefront glass between hallways and program areas.
The acoustically sound proof music space features a state-of-the-art recording booth and practice rooms. The new computer lab accommodates up to 25 students, with an adjacent graphics design space. Calming purple and yellow hues are used throughout the educational spaces, whereas energetic and active spaces such as the music room, are accented in orange.
The $50 million rehabilitation of Skyview Downtown modernizes four outdated structures into a prominent and contemporary mixed-use asset, advancing the renaissance of Springfield, MA. Initially built in the 1970s, the multi-building campus includes a 33-story tower with a connected four-level parking garage, an 18-story building, and a nine-story building that connects to a five-story structure via a two-level parking garage. Included in the design scope is a new Springfield Police Department substation. The original campus was planned as a quadrangle by Frederick Law Olmsted, envisioned to reconnect the Washington arsenal to the riverfront, creating active pedestrian traffic and a gateway to the city.
Of the 489 units, 412 are affordable to households earning at or below 60% of the area median income (AMI), with 241 of those units receiving additional support from a project-based Section 8 rental assistance contract. The remaining 77 units are workforce housing units, affordable to households earning at or below 85% of AMI. Extensive renovation work involved enhancements to the building envelope, streetscape improvements, and the replacement of HVAC systems, windows, and elevators. Interior modifications modernized a large common area that overlooks the new MGM casino and provides residents with a new management center, mailroom, computer lounge, children’s playroom, and fitness center with views of the historic district. Unit refurbishments included bringing 25 units up to ADA standards for mobility-impaired households and 10 units for the hearing-impaired.
The property includes 19,000 square feet of newly renovated commercial space and is located just blocks from the Andrew Carnegie Museum, the library complex, retail, and walking trails. Local artists were commissioned to complete “then and now” portraits along the garage and retail storefronts, featuring inspirational people from the city’s past paired with a young person living in Springfield today.
The $26.7 million preservation and renovation of a scattered site in Roxbury and Dorchester, consisting of 201 affordable units. The housing portfolio includes 131 units at Lawrenceville Apartments, six units at Infill I + II, nine units at Crawford House, six units at Thane St. Apartments, and 49 units at Gardner Apartments. Of the 201 units within the portfolio, 175 units are affordable to households earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and 26 units are affordable to households earning at or below 80% of AMI. The unit mix ranges from one- to six-bedroom layouts.
The rehabilitation work included masonry repairs on all building façades, roof and window replacement at selected buildings, accessibility upgrades, kitchen and bathroom enhancements at selected units, along with improvements to life safety, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
The $6.9 million moderate rehabilitation of Highland Glen Apartments repositioned an outdated 1970s three-building apartment campus, presenting a compelling opportunity to reimagine an underutilized asset into valuable housing for an aging population. The newly modernized community is comprised of 180 refurbished mixed-income units designed for active adults aged 62+.
Creating a high-efficiency thermal envelope to ensure resident comfort while significantly reducing energy usage was a priority – this was achieved through complete roofing replacement, adding attic insulation throughout, and installing new energy-efficient storefront windows in amenity spaces. Strategic upgrades to the mechanical systems included new heat pumps, an Energy Recovery Ventilation System, and high-efficiency condensing boilers.
Within individual units, upgrades to plumbing, lighting fixtures, and other appliances are an equally valuable means of improving energy efficiency. New resilient kitchen and bathroom flooring, updated casework, vanities, plumbing fixtures, and low-flow toilets are utilized throughout the units. Efficient LED lighting and new gas ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, and garbage disposals were installed.
Amenity spaces were modernized, including a fitness center, computer-learning flex space, salon, community kitchen, wellness suite, and laundry facilities. Senior residents benefit from newly added walking trails, a patio, a greenhouse, and landscaped green space. The moderate rehabilitation of communities like Highland Glen Apartments is a highly sustainable and cost-effective design practice that improves financial performance, energy efficiency, and livability – transforming struggling properties into income-producing assets. Interiors in collaboration with Beacon Concepts.
The $15.8 million occupied rehabilitation of Symphony Plaza Towers involved the successful renovation of a 404 unit multifamily community with ground floor commercial space. Built in 1980 as two developments – Symphony Plaza East and Symphony Plaza West – the respective 14-story and 16-story buildings are located on Massachusetts Avenue near Boston Symphony Hall.
Property improvements included life safety upgrades that involved fire alarm and HVAC systems, significant electrical system upgrades, new entry doors, common area improvements, and renovations to unit kitchens and bathrooms. Unit reconfiguration and refinements were required for full compliance with the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. The rehabilitation involved repairs that re-secured the ½” thick Qasal mineral fiber cement panels that make up, along with the windows, the exterior skin of the building. The upgrades resulted in the preservation and enhancement of critical affordable housing resources for the City of Boston.
The $11.2 million rehabilitation of the historic Wellington Community involved the repositioning and upgrading of a 180 unit community for senior and low-income residents. Dramatic upgrades to the scattered site’s 11 buildings included the restoration of masonry exteriors, replacement of roofs, installation of historically sensitive doors and windows, updated accessibility accommodations, life safety improvements and energy efficiency changes to mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
During the phased occupied rehabilitation, units were renovated one at a time with new cabinetry, appliances, and fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms. Common amenity space and laundry rooms were completely overhauled.
The community features 69 one-bedroom apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, 20 three-bedroom apartments and 6 four-bedroom apartments. Of the total units, 178 are affordable to households making at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. This comprehensive public/private partnership resulted in the successful reinvestment of a historic urban neighborhood that has been a vital part of the Worcester community for generations.
Built in the late 1800s, Preserve North Residences was originally home to the AC Lawrence Leather Company. The property was converted into affordable housing in the 1970s. The recent $49.3 million rehabilitation involves extensive exterior renovation and improvements to 284 units across a series of three mid-rise buildings and a seven-story structure, totaling more than 289,000 square feet. Comprehensive improvements include roof replacement, new plumbing, LED fixtures, select Energy Star appliances, low VOC paints, flooring, kitchen and cabinetry upgrades, and a new milled and resurfaced parking lot.
The focal point of the campus is a Federal-style three-story historic building, with two original enclosed pedestrian walkways connected to adjacent mills, reconfigured to accommodate a new fitness center, movie theater, and other resident amenities. The largest mill structure on this six-acre property is demarcated by black steel framed buttresses, with private resident patios allowing for direct access to Proctor Pond via a newly landscaped green space.
Grand ceilings, exposed brick and beams, and plank flooring combine with modern aesthetics to create an inviting atmosphere that blends elements of the building’s historic use as a leather tannery with contemporary finishes, warm neutral tones, and accents of vibrant hues. Residents are encouraged to gather, work, and play in the artfully redesigned community which also features a new dog park, and accessible courtyard. Preserve North Residences successfully maintains Peabody’s affordable housing stock for a new generation.
The $34 million preservation and rehabilitation of 156 affordable multifamily units in Bridgeton, New Jersey is a two-phased project designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities standards and expand the supportive services available to residents. Extensive redevelopment work included kitchen and bathroom upgrades, new roofs on eight buildings, and energy efficient HVAC systems throughout. A new community building provides a fitness room, management offices, and community space. Improved landscaping, parking lots, sidewalks and a new playground was added to foster community interaction. The completely modernized apartments improved energy efficiency through high efficacy, low wattage LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, low-flow WaterSense plumbing fixtures, low-VOC finishes and high efficiency heating and hot water systems. In conjunction with physical rehabilitation, five of the units at Ivy Square Apartments were made handicapped accessible and 10 units have been set aside as special needs housing for homeless individuals and families.
The $13.1 million rehabilitation of a 43,000 square foot assisted living facility, originally completed by TAT in 2004, into a 48 unit senior living community, transforming an underutilized asset into affordable housing for seniors 62 and older. The new program creates full-sized apartments with kitchens in a mix of nine studios, 38 one-bedrooms, and one two-bedroom unit. Ten percent of the total units are designed to be fully accessible. HVAC and plumbing systems, lighting fixtures, roofing, and windows were replaced and upgraded for efficiency. Elevators were modernized, and a new solar PV array was added to the roof.
A nautical-inspired theme unites the lobby, great room, club room, game zones, and conference rooms. Residents enjoy ample outdoor space with a landscaped courtyard, a vine-covered pergola, covered porches, and areas for socialization that provide a private urban retreat. Located in the heart of Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood, this reimagined development sits on a tree-lined street within walking distance of public transportation, retail, and local attractions. Original exterior design by Neshamkin French Architects.
The $18.7 million rehabilitation of Cobbet Hill Apartments, a 117 unit affordable housing complex, is the building’s first major renovation since the former high school – constructed in the 1930s – was converted into apartments 31 years ago.
The renovations include the creation of new common areas, a fitness room, modernized mechanical, electrical and life safety systems, replacement of the building’s roof, and repaired plumbing and masonry. The design incorporates a new courtyard entrance for accessibility, six new handicapped-accessible apartments and upgrades to the kitchens and bathrooms throughout. The modernized structure meets Enterprise Green Community (ECG) criteria and includes 65 multifamily and 52 senior units, with a range of affordability based on income levels.
The building’s former 5,000 square foot school gymnasium, which includes a track, has been converted into a commercial fit-out, with a second floor amenity zone for residents.
The $5.2 million occupied moderate rehabilitation of Edith Johnson Apartments modernized the 95 unit, 14-story high-rise, originally built in the 1970s and most recently renovated in the 1990s. The upgrades aimed to enhance livability, increase the building’s longevity, and improve operational efficiency. Key design strategies transformed the 71,445-square-foot affordable senior living community, including the installation of double-pane cPVC windows, an aluminum storefront, R-40 roof insulation, and an energy-efficient façade with 3-inch continuous insulation. These improvements created a high-efficiency thermal envelope, ensuring resident comfort and significantly reducing energy consumption.
The newly renovated amenity spaces include a community kitchen, a resident lobby, a computer room, and a mail/package delivery area, with LED lighting throughout. A new high-efficiency air source heat pump cooling system, low-flow plumbing fixtures, improvements to the life-safety and fire systems, and refurbished elevators all contribute to the transformation of the community. The exterior enhancements, including a renovated patio and exterior walkway, new canopy, and updated signage, assist in attracting residents, reducing the stigma of the older housing property, and adding to enriching the neighborhood’s vitality and character.
The moderate rehabilitation of Dorado Apartments, a 171,343 square foot multifamily community, involved the reconfiguration of amenity spaces to provide a more open floor plan, the removal of accessibility barriers throughout and the creation of a new leasing office, laundry area and mailroom. Each of the 189 units were renovated with new kitchens and baths. Colorful wall accents, contemporary lighting and artwork were interspersed to enliven common areas. The exterior work included garage and masonry envelope repair. The existing courtyard was redesigned in collaboration with Copley Wolff and provides a newly landscaped and accessible route to the building, better sight lines from the street to the main entrance and restores a bas-relief sculpture which had once been obscured.
Working collaboratively with the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, the firm artfully combined adaptive reuse and new construction to transform the site of the beloved former St. Kevin’s Parish school and church building, vacant since 2008, into the Uphams Crossing mixed-use campus.
The 102,000 square foot project provides 60 units of workforce housing and another 20 units of permanent affordable housing for formerly homeless families. Designed under the new Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code, the project features an Energy Recovery Ventilator which provides tempered fresh air to each apartment. The air exhausted from each unit circulates through a mechanical unit that extracts the energy and reuses it to temper the incoming fresh air, saving on energy usage and providing “healthier” air when it is not conducive to have the exterior windows open. Additionally, the former school building features a resident lounge, fitness room, community meeting space, a computer lab and other shared amenities as well as office space for the onsite resident service coordinator hired in partnership with St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children.
TAT’s transit-oriented plan for the campus, a prominent site on the neighborhood’s main artery, capitalizes on its walking distance to bus and commuter rail services, Hubway and onsite Zipcar, as well as helping to connect the surrounding vibrant business districts.
Originally constructed in 1915, Kenmore Abbey Apartments was part of a wave of new residential development precipitated by the extension of the Boylston Street subway to Boston’s Kenmore Square. As such, the Kenmore may be thought of as an early example of a transit-oriented development. Within a few years of its construction an addition was built as well as a third floor bridge linking it across a rear lot alley to the Wadsworth Hall on Newbury Street. The two buildings were subsequently converted to a hospitality use as the storied Kenmore Hotel. In 1983, the firm oversaw its historic restoration and conversion to its original residential use as the Kenmore Abbey, an age-restricted senior apartment building. The design team took special care in the preservation and stabilization of the Kenmore’s distinctive green tile mansard roof and terracotta detailing as well as reconstructive repair of the copper-clad bridge connecting it to Wadsworth Hall. Working around the logistical demands of a new interior plan layout, the design incorporated existing interior marble finishes and plaster trim into the new layout. The project received National Park Service approval as a certified historic rehabilitation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The firm recently completed another series of renovations 30 years after the original restoration.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this former steam-powered textile mill is part of the original Wampanoag Mills complex, formed in 1871. Built with native Fall River granite, the 5-story 145,600 square foot structure has been transformed into 100 units of one- and two-bedroom age restricted affordable apartments for residents age 62+. The facility features a community space, fitness center and 6,000 square foot Flint Senior Center.
Extensive restoration and rehabilitation involved a challenging mix of renovation, preservation, and new interventions. The most difficult challenge became the coordination of the varying floor levels for a cohesive design layout that resulted in raising the Engine House floor elevation 3′-0″+/- to align with Mill #2 and the Picker House structures. Comprehensive masonry and structural restoration throughout the building also proved formidable for this long vacant property – with only twenty percent of the roof structure and cornice intact – nearly every roof beam required structural support by sistering with LVL beams.
Existing loading doors were salvaged, refinished and reinstalled at the north façade of the building and acoustical flooring underlayment was utilized allowing for the exposure of the existing wood decking in common areas, living spaces and bedrooms. The firm’s renovations also included 462 windows that were carefully dimensioned and replicated using thermally broken, Low-E glazing and reinstalled within the existing openings.
This reimagined structure is the second mill on the campus to be adapted by the firm. The first mill, Curtain Lofts, was completed in 2012.
This historic conversion artfully transforms a sprawling four-story jewelry factory, originally built in 1891 by Watson, Newell & Co, into 91 mixed-income units for active adults age 55+. Designed, constructed and commissioned as an Enterprise Green Community (EGC), the firm’s sensitive design approach involved the rehabilitation of the original 139,365 square foot brick structure and a series of later additions. Exacting preservation efforts included the restoration of more than 350 original window openings, many of which had been hidden beneath siding. Other significant project work involved realigning floor heights between the building’s various wings, and raising the first floor by nine inches to mitigate potential flooding from the adjacent Ten Mile River.
Taking advantage of the building’s dramatic interior spaces, the team sought creative ways to encourage resident socialization. The former boiler room now serves as a unique double-height tenant lounge with exposed brick, steel structure, and timber ceilings that span 28 feet. Six original 5’x7’ wood windows, the original wood loading dock door, and cast-iron furnace doors were salvaged and rehabilitated to their original form, adding to the historic fabric of the renovated building. A variety of furniture configurations provide seniors with socialization preferences; strategically placed clusters invite interactions, which convert long corridors into new gathering areas for informal engagement. The light-filled lounge features a community kitchen, TV nook, and game area. Additional amenity spaces include a computer room and library, theater, and fitness/yoga area. The community’s 75 one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom units, feature design elements such as original steel and wood beams and columns, exposed brick, and wide-plank wood ceilings. Artwork and interior details are inspired by antique sterling-silver patterns, industrial machinery, and artifacts found onsite. Nature-derived colors create visual interest and enliven the environment by adding vibrant hues throughout.
Located on an 8.8 acre wooded riverfront site, Sterling Lofts is tastefully appointed with native plantings and provides ample opportunities for outdoor activity. Patio seating and a grilling area adjacent to the tenant lounge lead to a walking path that extends down to the water’s edge. The property also includes a 5,000 square foot programming space intended for an Adult Day Health Center for tenants and the surrounding community. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located on a prominent city parcel and the former site of St. Therese Parish, this new mixed-use community for residents aged 62+ provides 77 affordable rental units and six for-sale townhomes with onsite support services for seniors. The $38M transit-oriented development includes a mid-rise brick masonry building with a glass storefront entry, designed with a series of repetitive bays that break up the exterior façade and complement a character-defining element of the surrounding context. The adjacent direct-entry three-bedroom townhome condominiums reflect the surrounding environment in height, massing, and color – integrating harmoniously with the overall feel of the neighborhood.
Resident amenities include a light-filled lounge with a large community kitchen, flexible furnishings to accommodate various programmatic needs, a work from home touchdown station, mail area, laundry room, management offices, and onsite parking. Unit interiors feature contemporary high-end finishes with white solid wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and hardware, granite countertops, and woodgrain flooring. Color cueing is a prominent wayfinding strategy for the resident corridors, providing a strong visual link between color and floor number, allowing residents to orient themselves easily.
The new 6,500 square foot health center on the ground floor offers services to residents and members of the broader community by providing exam and behavioral health rooms, a therapeutic recreation space, and a secured outdoor patio. The interdisciplinary clinic is operated by East Boston Neighborhood Health Center through its Neighborhood PACE program. This innovative design program is the result of a successful public/private partnership to meet the interrelated affordable housing and healthcare needs for the City of Everett.
The newly created onsite pocket park, Little Flower Park, incorporates architectural elements from the former church on landscaped grounds to honor the rich history of St. Therese Parish. Salvaged artifacts include a reconstructed stone shrine flanked by two original columns, pre-cast medallions, and door headers. Reimagined into a meaningful and safe neighborhood amenity, the park is accessible to the public and offers a variety of user experiences in a dense urban setting.
The rooftop was designed with a four-array solar photovoltaic (PV) system totaling 100,000 kilowatts, allowing the energy generated by the system to offset utility costs.
Situated on an 18-acre hilltop campus of the former Symmes Hospital, the firm master planned and designed this new, mixed income multifamily community located within close proximity to downtown Arlington and recreational amenities. Consisting of 199 units, comprised of both for-sale townhomes and rental midrise buildings, the units are elegantly styled with sophisticated features and finishes. The program offers spacious open studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, and provides residents with landscaped courtyards and sweeping vista parks overlooking the Boston skyline. In addition, resident amenities include a club room, media room, fitness center, recreational sport court, playground, an outdoor swimming pool, as well as garage and surface parking.
Southbridge Mills is a $23 million preservation and adaptation of a 19th-century, three-story brick mill into 48 affordable units. Located on the former campus of the American Optical Company, the 70,000 square foot structure was built in 1888 for machinery, grinding, and storage and is the oldest building within the Southbridge Innovation Center complex. Prior to its closure in 1979, the international leader in the optical field served as Southbridge’s largest employer.
The decaying mill required extensive interior repair due to water damage and neglect, including complete replacement of the timber decking and beams in the central core of the structure, brick and mortar restoration, and exterior waterproofing. Located in the floodplain adjacent to the Quinebaug River, the design team raised the mill’s first floor by one foot to create a resilient structure. The deep floorplate allowed for double-loaded corridors – a long central hallway with units on either side – providing greater circulation efficiency and higher overall unit density. Original mill details are artfully exposed, including brick, decking, and wood and steel columns, which add to the industrial aesthetic. One of the original stairwells was thoughtfully preserved and restored for resident use.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building’s LEED-certifiable restoration boasts energy-efficient windows, insulated and air sealed bedrooms, and a high-efficiency heating system. The interior design highlights character-defining features and finishes of the mill with respect to the historic materials. A muted color palette of earth tones creates an elegant and calming atmosphere, resulting in a sense of harmony with the surrounding Lensdale Pond waterfront environment and original architecture. Amenities include a light-filled resident lounge and workspace, an accessible community kitchenette, an entry lobby, a shared laundry room, and a mail room.
Located in the heart of Malden Square, this new five-story market-rate multifamily community features modern, stylish interiors cohesively aligned with its distinctive architecture and brick façade.
Within close proximity to restaurants, retail and public transportation, a portion of the building is gently set-back from the streetscape to create an open public space for passive recreation. The 195 luxury rental apartments open up to winding courtyards and a sprawling collection of indoor and outdoor retreats with urban-inspired décor, including a modish resident lounge complete with pool table and bar area, café, pool deck, movie room and 24/7 fitness center. 8,000 square feet of retail space and 171 onsite parking spaces complete the program.
The Slate at Andover is one of the largest multifamily developments in Andover, MA; the community’s two, four-story buildings are comprised of 224 predominately market rate units, with a quarter of units designated as affordable. Brick towers and metal canopies at the entry corners anchor the center of the site and relate directly to the entry of the clubhouse.
Resident amenities include a separate clubhouse – designed by Planeta Design Group – two fitness centers and outdoor amenities, including grilling stations, outdoor kitchen, pool. Additional outdoor family-friendly resources include a walking/biking path, a dog park, playground, soccer field, and a basketball court.
Located on the site of the former Rolling Green Golf Course, this modern community conveniently accessible to Boston makes it ideal for residents to live, work and play in the highly desirable town of Andover.
Originally built in 1874, The Bedford Building in Boston, Massachusetts suffered various incompatible alterations until this award-winning restoration. Original details and design elements were restored while adding a modern retail atrium through the addition of a new eight-story glass wall between the wings of the U-shaped plan. This dramatic space serves as a unifying element which visually links the six floor levels and significantly increases the percentage of prime retail space.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Ropewalk, located in Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard, is a mixed-income multifamily community set within one of the country’s most unique historic buildings. The design transforms a circa-1838 former rope-making facility, more than a quarter-mile long and 45 feet wide, into 92 units with five additional units in the adjacent former tar house. The main granite-faced Ropewalk building is the last structure of its kind still standing in the United States.
For over a century, the Ropewalk facilities housed the United States Navy’s main rope laying and spinning operation, with the distinctive elongated structure facilitating the creation of cordage for the country’s most storied vessels. Following the Navy Yard’s decommissioning in 1974, the buildings remained vacant and derelict for nearly 50 years, ravaged by a series of fires.
Working collaboratively with the National Park Service and the Boston Planning and Development Agency, the firm’s transformation required meticulous clearing-out of burnt debris, sandblasting of granite blocks, and reconstruction of historically matched truss systems and a slate roof. To bring adequate daylight into the deep apartments, transoms are incorporated to borrow light from the airy, single-loaded corridor that runs the length of the structure. Notable for a historic conversion project, the design includes an onsite geothermal power plant.
With a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, Ropewalk features a variety of unit types, including duplex and single-floor layouts. All units incorporate historic elements such as exposed timber beams along with high-end contemporary fixtures and finishes. Amenities include bike storage facilities and a restored publicly accessible “flirtation walk” that reestablishes a pedestrian connection between the Navy Yard’s internal streets, enhancing the public realm for this waterfront district. A preserved selection of historic rope-making equipment is on display at an exhibition space within the building.
Laurelwood is a distinctively long and narrow property which required an innovative multi-level design, resulting in a delightfully atypical community that allows for complete enjoyment of the surrounding wooded vistas. The inventive design produced widely varied apartment layouts and amenity spaces – an uncommon feature in traditional assisted living environments – but very much valued by residents who enjoy creating spaces that are uniquely their own. Stylish respite apartments are also available, adding to the comfort and convenience of residents’ families.
Nestled in the charming community of The Pinehills, Laurelwood residents are encouraged to remain active in mind, body and spirit in this beautifully appointed, coastal New England style residence. An artfully landscaped patio complete with a fireplace, water fountains, shaded and open-air spaces is ideal for entertaining family and friends. Inside, the grand common areas feature privacy nooks, seating areas convened around fireplaces, and flexible boutique-styled furnishings which allow for easy reconfiguration. A tavern, café, restaurant and private patios have been incorporated to expand personal choice and preference. Walking paths offer easy access to the world’s third largest pine ecosystem, neighboring the property.
Located in Boston’s Back Bay, this hotel was converted from the former Boston Police Headquarters into a luxury boutique hotel. The renovation of the Italian Renaissance revival building included the addition of two new floors and an 11-story horizontal addition, which increased the building from 80,000 to 140,000 square feet. The four-star hotel includes 225 guest rooms and suites, a restaurant, a lounge, and a coffee bar, as well as conference rooms, a business center, and a fitness room.
Designed for a wide range of academic and student programming needs and built under an ambitious fast-track schedule, the 30,000 square foot building has eight classrooms, faculty offices, a student lounge, meeting rooms, and a two-story atrium with a Smart Market Cafe. The building includes a multipurpose auditorium/theatre, the college’s first dedicated performance space.
As master planners for this 633,000 square foot medical, mental health and residential campus, the scheme includes the development of four new state-of-the-art buildings built over three phases on the site of the former Massachusetts Mental Health Center in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston. Phase One includes the LEED Gold Certified Binney Street clinical and office building and the LEED Silver Certified Fenwood Inn mental health day hospital. Future design phases include a residential building and a medical research facility. The firm designed the building envelope for the Binney and Fenwood buildings.
Combining an innovative living environment with optimal functionality, this upscale community incorporates hospitality design concepts in planning, programming and interior design for the senior assisted living population. The design is intended to promote maximum independence and evoke peacefulness within a comfortable, elegant and safe environment that encourages social engagement. Common spaces are arranged to carefully manage internal vistas to outside gardens and courtyards, and to provide a variety of internal circulation routes important for resident ambulation and satisfaction. The amenity-rich surroundings and the contemporary light-filled atmosphere enhances the experience of residents and family members alike. Finish materials and color palettes are stylish yet classic and the furniture is appropriately scaled with tasteful high-end double-rub content fabrics. Artwork throughout enlivens the space and includes distinctive installations by local artists. The third phase of design for this property is an 81,475 square foot independent living community, One Wingate Way, situated on the same property, with an adjoining design configuration.
Creating an engaging and sociable surrounding is at the heart of the design for this new 24-acre multifamily community development. The inviting and memorable common spaces are casually sophisticated, with accents of striking tonal grey limestone, rich wood tones and a rich palette of cobalt, emerald and pumpkin hues. Detailing includes the use of mirrors, natural fibers, abstract art and large focal lighting to add elements of interest throughout. The interior architecture and overall design of this 350 unit property – comprised of townhomes, midrise buildings and direct entry apartments, office center and resident amenity spaces – is an energetic environment that truly embodies modern living and convenience.
This elegant 84 unit senior living environment is situated in the heart of quaint Easton, on a beautifully landscaped campus within close proximity to cultural and recreational attractions. The architecture and interior spaces reflect the traditional and time-honored aesthetic of the community. The environment is both welcoming and uplifting, enhanced by a color palette emphasizing warm whites and deep chocolate hues with contrasting elements of tangerine and warm greys. The design provides residents with integrated amenity spaces that promote interactivity, creativity, wellness and independence, including an on-site gourmet restaurant, living rooms, library, media room, activity room, and outdoor seating and walking paths.
Avalon Danvers is a 433 unit master planned residential redevelopment of a landmark state hospital campus. The renovation of the historic Kirkbride building served as the central and unifying element of the firm’s master plan, a focal point for the organization of 11 new buildings which define new landscape open spaces and reduce in scale away from the center. The striking Victorian-Gothic architecture of the Kirkbride building also provides a stylistic template for the new construction which reinterprets its architectural vocabulary in an understated contemporary form.
The adaptive reuse of this former shoe and leather factory reactivates a prominent downtown site with 62 units of affordable housing. Originally constructed in 1918, this eight-story building remained vacant for a number of years, and local leaders consider its transformation an important step in Haverhill’s revitalization and goal of expanding rental housing options.
TAT’s design vision respects the historic character of the attractive concrete-and-masonry structure, while crafting a contemporary living experience with a mix of 15 one-bedroom, 41 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom units. Restored original elements include the large six-foot-high windows stretching the full width of each structural bay along with exposed concrete ceilings, columns, beams, terracotta block walls, wood floors and the original elevator doors that have become focal points of each floor. Amenities include a community room, fitness center, bike storage, children’s playroom, and laundry room. Located within walking distance to the commuter rail and major bus lines, 98 Essex Apartments is the latest in a line of major recent projects transforming downtown Haverhill, including TAT’s recently completed Harbor Place, just a few blocks away on the Merrimack River. As part of MassHousing’s pioneering $100 million Workforce Housing initiative, seven apartments are reserved for formerly homeless families and six are workforce housing units for moderate income residents.
Located in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill neighborhood, on the site formerly recognized as Grampy’s Gas Station, the firm designed the core and shell of this new five-story commercial office building, with two floors of retail/restaurant space. The design is respectful of the historic context of the surrounding buildings in both its massing and brick material selection. The location is quintessential Boston, just steps to the Charles Street Red Line Station, Mass General Hospital and The Liberty Hotel – Cambridge Street is a heavily pedestrian trafficked street by professionals and area residents.
This thoughtfully renovated 3,300 square foot yoga studio is designed to maximize natural daylight with interior clerestory glazing in the main studio and new windows in the rear of the building. The ground floor features light wood flooring, bright accent walls, and an expansive light-filled studio space. A newly installed stairway leads to the sizable secondary studio, complete with a locker area.
Artemis Yoga Studio activates an important city block in Coolidge Square, replacing a formerly vacant storefront and providing a modern amenity to Watertown residents.
The phased new construction of an affordable and workforce housing community offering 65 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units to various income tiers. Located within walking distance to shops, restaurants, and the beach, Village at Nauset Green serves as a valuable new housing resource for an area traditionally under-served. The $16.4 million development includes 39 affordable units for people earning 60% of the area median income, 11 affordable units for people earning 30% of the AMI, and 15 workforce units.
The community is comprised of 18 mid-rise, wood frame buildings. With steeped roofs and shingled siding, the community’s aesthetic recalls New England coastal architecture. Utilizing the existing topography of the 11.2-acre site, the project team reduced the visual scale of the development by making the buildings appear as two-story structures, further complimenting adjacent properties. Thoughtfully sited, the buildings’ layout evokes the local Cape Cod style by creating a small village feel for residents and the community at large.
Centered around two common green spaces with picnic areas, a community garden, and a playground, residents are offered both active and passive recreation opportunities for all ages. Adjacent to the community’s entrance, the addition of a small park provides a new public bus stop and rest area along with bicycle racks for the nearby Cape Cod Rail Trail. Other resident amenities include a communal kitchen and lounge space within the community building.
The 17,000 square foot renovation and contemporary addition to the skilled nursing facility provides 12 additional short-term rehabilitation beds, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gymnasium and suites for physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The gym features the latest in therapeutic equipment, including a car simulation station allowing patients to practice exiting and entering a vehicle, as well as an “uneven surface area” with strips of brick, concrete, paving stone and a curb, for practice walking on less than ideal surfaces. Other design attributes include a new dining area, medical office and clinical space. The aging façade of the building is wholly redesigned and features a three-season wraparound porch, providing short and long-term stay residents with a panoramic view of the surrounding neighborhood. The outdoor space has been transformed with beautifully landscaped walking paths, patios and garden areas.
A new biomedical research facility for Massachusetts General Hospital, the 108,000 square foot design involved the historic reuse of a fire-damaged and derelict Navy joinery shop. The historic waterfront building was preserved in accordance with the National Park Service guidelines, while also meeting local regulations for waterfront development. Two new floors were inserted within the original building envelope and integrated to work with the existing window openings. New windows were manufactured to match the historic originals and engineered to meet the exact environmental performance standards of a modern research laboratory.
Located along the Island End River, overlooking the Admiral’s Hill Marina and just down the street from The Architectural Team’s office on Commandant’s Way, Jefferson at Admiral’s Hill is the final phase in the Admiral’s Hill redevelopment plan that has seen the completion of over 750 apartments, condominiums, and townhomes. The new 160 unit building features a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on four floors sitting on top of a 187 car parking garage podium. The building makes the most of the tight and irregular-shaped site, paying particular attention to the maximization of views, daylight, and open space. Oriented towards the river, a new outdoor courtyard features a reflection pool and extensive plantings, providing a lush retreat for residents. Located at the juncture of the residential buildings on the hill and the industrial waterfront, the exterior design seeks to bridge the gap between the two. Each wing of the building is bracketed with brick ends that reference industrial waterfront wharf buildings, while the texture of private balconies, pop-out bays, windows, and siding, compliment the existing neighborhood fabric.
Formerly known as Fairfax Gardens, and among one of only eight multifamily housing developments in the nation to receive HOPE VI Revitalization funding in 2011—the public-private development team transformed this distressed and obsolete public housing site into a new vibrant and environmentally sustainable neighborhood, igniting reinvestment in the surrounding community. The development is Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) and Energy Star Homes Certified and includes practices common to Passive House Design.
The master plan focused on creating pedestrian-scaled streets that successfully knit the development back into the surrounding community, creating new physical and social connections to the broader neighborhood. The buildings are designed to complement the scale and architectural vernacular of the surrounding site. The range of building façades, rooflines and colors are purposely integrated to express the individuality of each unit and prevent the uniformity that characterized the original development. Entry porches are an important feature, contributing to the neighborhood character and promoting a sense of public safety.
The design solution included situating a new community building as the focal point of the entrance – offering day care, after school programs, and community space. A network of outdoor spaces is highlighted by a central green and playground, promoting social connectedness, and community garden that anchors the west end of the green. The project, situated on a 43-acre site, offers 88 New England-style multifamily townhome and duplex units. In addition, a new 72 unit mixed income rental development was constructed on a separate 6.4-acre Taunton site now known as Lenox Green. The project employed smart growth design principals and successfully increased density – a key objective of the development.
The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center of Boston is the largest private, nonprofit community center in Massachusetts. The transformation of this once abandoned six-acre Dorchester site into a new 90,000 square foot facility offering intergenerational state-of-the-art services has completely revitalized the area. This comprehensive community resource attracts area residents for arts and education, workforce development, fitness, sports, and emotional and spiritual care; making it a vibrant hub of the community. The contemporary design is sympathetic to the size, scale and materials of the neighborhood, and creates a lively extension of the community, an open space of diverse activity, and an interior village where people can see and be seen. Design features include a 500-seat dual court NCAA regulation gymnasium, ropes course and climbing wall space, full cardio and fitness equipment areas, recreational pool and outdoor playground, a 250-seat chapel/community theatre, culinary arts teaching kitchen, and a synthetic turf multi-use athletic field and playground.
This new 385 unit multifamily complex reflects a wide range of floor plan types, in five four-story buildings with luxurious features such as soaking tubs, gas fireplaces and gourmet custom kitchens. Phase One of the master plan, Repton Place, was completed in 2006, and includes buildings 3, 4, and 5 providing a total of 179 units, and courtyard space with a playground. Phase Two, completed in 2014, includes buildings 1 and 2 comprised of 206 mixed income units, a health club and community center. Each building offers underground parking, while the master plan successfully introduces a new street network and exterior courtyard spaces, reducing the scale of the 13-acre parcel to a comfortable residential community. Amenities include a hotel-inspired saltwater pool, sundeck, pet spa, outdoor BBQ, 24-hour fitness club and yoga studio.
Located on a site that lingered vacant and neglected for 37 years, this new mixed use, affordable senior housing development is named after Ellen S. Jackson because of her connection to the neighborhood and her profound impact on equity and access throughout the City of Boston. In this same spirit of access, the newly constructed four-story building bearing her name provides 40 units of affordable housing for low-income seniors as well as economic opportunities for local vendors in its 5,900 square feet of commercial space. The certified LEED for Homes Mid-rise Pilot Platinum community features state of the art energy components. Amenities include a library, community room, a roof terrace and a garden providing community space for resident gatherings. Support services are also available on-site to promote successful independent living, along with 28 parking spaces.
This 23-story mixed use development building is located in Chinatown and includes 118 condominiums, 133 apartments, retail, commercial and community program space, underground parking, and a public courtyard. The design of the tower over a six-story base retains the scale of the existing streetscape, while the U-shaped configuration of these lower floors define an open courtyard, creating additional visual relief and open space at the pedestrian level.
A transit oriented development in a dense urban neighborhood, The Carruth is located adjacent to the MBTA Redline station at Ashmont, a major public transit HUB; including subway, trolley, and bus service. The mixed-use project includes 116 dwelling units and four street level retail units totaling approximately 10,000 gross square feet. A total of 80 parking spaces are located on a single level below grade. A smart growth development in its conception, the project also incorporates a number of sustainable design strategies such as roof-mounted photovoltaic cells and is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification.
Located at the apex of a major downtown Boston intersection, this new mixed use development includes 183 apartments, underground parking, and street-level commercial space, and is visible for a quarter mile in three directions. The focus of these vistas is the building’s signature arch, a gateway connecting the commercial intersection with a residential district. The horseshoe-shaped form provides a street wall and creates a residential green space within.
Regarded as one of the most architecturally significant millyards in the U.S., the original Boott Mills complex is the oldest surviving cotton textile millyard in the country. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the mill is located two blocks from downtown Lowell at the edge of Lowell’s National Historic Park, facing the Merrimack River. Built from the mid-1830s to the early 20th century, the complex incorporated each subsequent generation of technology beginning with the early use of mechanical waterpower, steam power, and eventually electric power. The influence of each stage of technology is readable in the evolving appearance of the complex over time.
Under the firm’s direction, the mill underwent extensive exterior restoration to ensure architectural detailing and historic integrity was retained. The restoration entailed extensive masonry repair, historically accurate replacement of windows damaged by an earlier gas explosion as well as the reconstruction of the clock tower and cupola that involved reinforcement of the foundations to save both towers from collapse. A lightning strike damaged the mill’s 200 foot smoke stack which required extensive repair and archival research to guide the reproduction of its historic brick patterns. The adaptive reuse of the Boott Mills complex realizes the completion of a major piece of urban planning for the City of Lowell, preserves a significant artifact of American industrial history, and adds both housing and mixed use to a rejuvenated urban waterfront.
Built around 1833 and serving as a shipping warehouse until the 1960’s, the cluster of buildings on Commercial Wharf sat vacant until the firm’s historic conversion in the 1970’s when it was hired as Master Planners for the property. Located on Boston’s historic waterfront area, the firm converted the structures into condominiums and office space. The design also provided for a new pedestrian access way to the seawall as well as recreational areas – all serving to restore a sense of community to this once under-utilized site.
The restoration of the former Lincoln Wharf into San Marco represents one of the nation’s only renovation and adaptive reuse of a major electrical power plant for residential use at the time. Conversion of the windowless 150 foot cube-shaped brick envelope into a luxury residential condominium building required extensive interior demolition of existing steel structure, coal bins, and electrical generation equipment. The controlled explosive demolition of a large smoke stack was also required. Once the selective demolition was complete, the design called for the insertion of 13 new floors within the brick shell on 12,000 existing wood piles. The floor plan was organized around a new atrium to provide light, air, and views to internally situated units and to create an exciting entry space for the building as a whole. The interior atrium reduced the immense depth-of-building issue presented by the building’s original footprint, transforming it into an attractive waterfront asset.
The adaptive reuse of the former Holyoke Catholic Campus into 54 multifamily units transformed four historic 152-year-old structures into affordable workforce housing. Located in the historic district of Downtown Holyoke the abandoned campus sat lifeless for more than 10 years with boarded-up windows and barred doors until its artful restoration. Reopened as Chestnut Park Apartments, the rehabilitated historic campus involves four properties: the Italianate style Holyoke Catholic High School, the Colonial Revival style William Whiting Elementary School, the French Second Empire style Convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame and Convent of the Sisters of Providence. Located adjacent to Veteran’s Park and the Holyoke Transportation Center, the development adds much needed pedestrian traffic and vitality to a critical area of the city’s TOD corridor. Totaling more than 73,000 square feet, the project included the replication and restoration of all interior trim, plaster wall and ceiling surfaces, original wood flooring, tin ceilings, stained glass windows and exterior porches. The slate roofing was repaired and the long-removed tower was completely rebuilt. The development is a prime example of a successful investment strategy and private/public collaboration allowing for the complete the transformation of the neighborhood and positive activity downtown.
Avalon at Lexington Hills is a 23-acre master planned multifamily community located on the former Metropolitan State Hospital site. The hospital campus closed in 1992 and remained shuttered for 15 years. The $70M redevelopment is comprised of 387 luxury units, with one fourth of the apartments set aside as affordable housing. The 700,000 square foot project includes two historic buildings – the main hospital and a former theater – and ten new buildings, artfully combining adaptive reuse with new construction. The new structures are arranged formally about the existing buildings in a setting of lawns and green space; an arrangement inspired by the former hospital campus. This extensive open space system includes the preservation of a large courtyard and mature tree line as well as the creation of streetscapes, pocket parks, and neighborhoods within neighborhoods in place of the former institutional setting. The community’s ground floor units feature expansive patios on the courtyard level, while exterior-facing units have views of the surrounding 300 acres of conservation land.
The clubhouse, located in the rehabilitated theater building, serves as a one-of-a-kind focal point for the new community. The distinguished brick building has an impressive 2-story theater space with lofty arch-topped windows. The new design creates a second level at the front of the building, preserving more than one half of the existing theater volume with the introduction of a new bridge that spans over the first-floor reception, connecting back-of-house spaces. Resident amenity areas are located on the first level with direct access to outdoor spaces: function patio, pool, and open lawn for both active and passive resident activities. A new second floor balcony, overlooking the pool and the main entry porte cochere, signifies a new identity for the building, without obscuring the historic brick facades. Walking paths and exterior courtyards with picnic areas, playgrounds, and grilling stations complete the public gathering spaces.
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Located in the Gateway City of Worcester, the historic Worcester Boy’s Trade School built in 1909 has been artfully transformed into a new mixed-income multifamily community. The design team demolished the 1955 infill addition, which connected the two sides of the building at its centers, restoring the U-shaped plan. This allowed for an inviting courtyard entrance, pedestrian walkways, parking lot and ample day lighting. The LEED Certifiable transformation retains the building’s industrial look characterized by high brick walls, exposed wood ceilings and piping, and 312 historic replica windows. The 116,306 square foot building offers 84 loft units and resident amenities include an on-site management office, community lounge with kitchen, computer learning center, fitness center, a dedicated museum and art gallery, a children’s playground, and community garden.
Located near the historic downtown South Windsor, as both architects and interior designers, the firm designed a new 80 unit senior living environment that reflects the country aesthetic of the surrounding community. Aimed to offer unprecedented style and service to local seniors, the firm’s design approach ensures that the environment meets the diverse physical and cognitive changes of this aging population.
The Tyler, a mixed-income community for seniors, is the first adaptive reuse project in the United States designed to adhere to the Passive House Institute’s EnerPHit program standards with applicable historic exclusions. The three-story core of the 84-year-old former East Haven High School features 70 apartments for individuals aged 55+, a resident lounge, on-site management office, fitness center, community kitchen, entertainment space, craft room, reading nook, and outdoor courtyard.
The original school, which was decommissioned in the late 1990s, was an interconnected, multi-building campus comprised of a central classroom and administration building, an auditorium, and a boiler plant – all built in 1936. A west wing classroom addition was created in 1964, and in 1973 an east wing classroom along with a southern-facing gym and pool building were added. The $21.5M redevelopment is strategically designed to respect the layout of the original program space by utilizing former light-filled classrooms for units and maintaining the expansive, central corridors typically found in educational facilities of this era. As part of the transformation, the east wing was razed and replaced with a landscaped courtyard and surface parking lot for tenant use. The existing auditorium, gym, and pool buildings remain under ownership of the Town of East Haven and are being repurposed for community use.
The interiors feature refreshing hues of blue and warm grays combined with a palette of lively, energetic coral to enhance the common areas and create a dynamic and uplifting atmosphere. Vibrant artwork, intended to connote the liveliness of a bustling school, is featured in the community kitchen and throughout the hallways. The design incorporates new and old by bringing the past and present together; contemporary units with energy-efficient windows and appliances are combined with the building’s historic details such as millwork, original lockers, display cases with local artifacts, and a stately brick façade.
The 104,871 square foot property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was recently named as the nation’s Best Overall Development and Green Building of the Year in Affordable Housing Finance magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
Located on a 1.7-acre site in the Main South neighborhood of Worcester near Clark University, the original Loomworks was built in 1890 to manufacture textile looms. The firm restored and adapted this formerly vacant property into The Lofts at Loomworks, a 94 unit mixed-income apartment community and remediated a brownfield to improve environmental conditions in the area. The renovation work preserved many historic features, including original wood columns, an old bank vault integrated into the common area and sliding metal doors repurposed as art installations.
All 94 Loomworks units, which range from one- to three-bedroom homes, were leased within a week of opening, reflecting the strong demand for affordable housing options in Worcester and the city’s ongoing revitalization. Twenty percent of the units are reserved for individuals and households making under 30% of area median income (AMI), with the rest reserved for renters with income up to 60% of AMI. The project has been credited with helping spur redevelopment in the Main South neighborhood.
Located at a prominent Main Street intersection in downtown Worcester, this formerly vacant eight-story, 105,000 square foot historic office building is a key element of the city’s ongoing revitalization. TAT’s sensitive adaptive reuse and renovation creates 55 mixed-income units, including 14 workforce housing apartments funded by Massachusetts’ pioneering Workforce Housing Initiative, as well as a vibrant mix of ground-floor retail uses.
Originally constructed in 1925, the Classical Revival-style building is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Preservation work included a full restoration of the limestone façade and grand, vaulted entry, highlighted by refurbished historic pink and cream marble and terrazzo floors and framed by cove lighting along with brass and crystal lighting fixtures. The project team also restored copper and brass detailing on cornices, entry and elevator vestibules, and window surrounds. New, historically accurate windows and storefront assemblies maintain The Central Building’s original aesthetic appeal, while adding modern functionality. At mailrooms and other key areas, TAT’s interiors team preserved a prior renovation’s classic Midcentury Modern aesthetic, blending Classic Revival luxury with the chic flavor of midcentury wood paneling and streamlined furniture. The comprehensive revamp also cleverly integrates new mechanical, plumbing, and life safety systems, concealing them behind the building’s monumental barrel vault plaster ceilings.
For the residential conversion, the firm’s design approach gives careful attention to unit layouts, showcasing historically significant elements including marble elevator lobbies, plaster ceilings, and decorative trims. The unit mix includes one studio unit, 17 one-bedroom apartments, 34 two-bedroom apartments and three three-bedroom apartments. A compelling set of amenities takes full advantage of The Central Building’s impressive scale, and centers on a repurposed second-floor “Main Street” corridor, which serves as the central hub for communal activities. With a series of original skylights and ornamental pilasters left on display, TAT incorporated a new movie room, lounge, and community kitchenette to recreate this area as the “heart” of the building. Additional amenity spaces feature a bright, contemporary color and material palette, and include office areas with private work pods and high-end custom furnishings, a game room and play area with climbing wall, a pet spa, and a fully-equipped fitness center. With an advantageous location and design solutions that exceed the norm, local sources believe The Central Building will help Worcester become a true “18-hour city.”
Designed to achieve Passive House, the $23.9 million Moran Square redevelopment successfully knits together the historic Harper Furniture Building and the Summer Street Fire Station with a 5-story in-fill residential building through preservation, rehabilitation, and new construction. The Apartments at Moran Square offer 44 mixed-income units and 8,400 square feet of commercial space intended to revitalize the Moran Square Historic District and create much-needed affordable housing. Twenty units will be affordable to households earning less than 60% of the area medium income (AMI), with five units further restricted for extremely low-income households earning less than 30% of AMI. The transit-oriented development enjoys a walking score of 81, is a 3-minute drive to Fitchburg State University, and is located one block from the Fitchburg Intermodal Transportation Center, which includes an MBTA Commuter Rail Station and a central bus terminal for the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority.
Located in the McKnight National Historic District of Springfield, Massachusetts, Mason Square Apartments II at Indian Motorcycle is the historic adaptive reuse of an existing 55,000 square foot factory building and adjacent 15,000 square foot firehouse into a mixed-use office and multifamily community. Originally built in 1882 for the Bullard Repeating Arms Company, the factory underwent a series of alterations and uses. In 1901, Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company completed a two-story addition to the original building, and as the company grew to be the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world, several further additions were made as the factory expanded.
The firm’s transformation of the historic structure involves the creation of 45 units, the redesign of the State Street entrance, complete renovation of the interior office space, window and roof replacements, along with basement waterproofing and HVAC improvements. Complicating the restoration process, the design team was tasked with eradicating oil that saturated the heavy timber construction and brick masonry from the production of motorcycles. The team’s sensitive design approach preserves the historic details of the factory, highlighting the different time periods during which it was initially constructed and later expanded. The project includes the historic rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the neighboring firehouse into 15 additional units and the design of an onsite Indian Motorcycle Museum commemorating the building’s storied history.
A complete renovation of and addition to the existing club modernized program components to current standards. A two-story addition accommodates an enlarged youth games room and an expanded teen center. Another addition defines the new main entrance while creating space for a fitness center. Other new features include a child care center, and a monumental stair in the lobby that provides secure and visible access to the second floor.
Built on the former St. Joseph’s parish campus in Salem and located in the City’s central business district, the design of this new mixed use, affordable housing complex was inspired by the historic context of the surrounding site. With an enticing blend of classic brick and contemporary architectural elements, 135 Lafayette’s program achieves the community’s objectives by providing 51 affordable apartments in a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedrooms; coupled with 4,000 square feet of commercial space, a resident courtyard, surface parking, and a centrally located neighborhood community room.
Located in the lush Central Connecticut countryside, this 74 unit senior living community offers a classic country aesthetic for those seeking independent, assisted living or memory care. The design reflects the unique character of the community, and artfully integrates various program elements to keep residents active and engaged. This innovative approach provides sequenced destinations to encourage movement and creates a richer architecture experience. Supportive of a lifestyle that exudes sophistication and comfort, the interiors boast custom millwork, natural stone, wood beams and decorative wall coverings in a colors and textures that are both familiar and welcoming. Amenities include an open concept pub adjacent to a large living area, light-filled activity space, library and a dining café with stone wall and fireplace.
LEED for Homes Gold certified, this new 67,000 square foot permanent supportive housing community for Veteran’s 55+ is situated on a 4-acre historic VA hospital campus with buildings dating back to 1928. Bedford Green features 69 furnished apartment homes, and borrows Georgian-style architectural elements from its immediate residential neighbors – such as projecting bays, small roof dormers and clapboard siding – that work cohesively to reduce its massing.
The design is specifically tailored for formerly homeless veterans with nearly 13% of units with fully accessible kitchens, bathrooms and extra maneuvering space. Unique program features include supportive spaces allowing for social interaction, exam rooms for medical care and assistance with job placement. An on-site Resident Services Coordinator and Case Manager work with the local VA campus team to oversee well-being of residents in the Energy Star certified building. Amenities include a community room, computer center and fitness area. The exterior covered porch and paved patio with seating area provides residents with safe, easily accessible outdoor spaces, fostering a sense of community where residents are encouraged to socialize.
The transformation of the decommissioned Mattapan Public Library is designed exclusively for at-risk neighborhood teens to deliver critically needed social and educational programs in a safe, contemporary and technology-rich environment. The design solution for repurposing the 7,200 square foot building focused on creating an enlivened community space that promotes engagement, participation and a sense of ownership among those it serves. This is largely achieved through transparency as all program areas, which are adjacent to the main lobby, have been made visible though glass windows, doors or partitions. A multipurpose, 80-seat performance center equipped with movable seating and stage platform, a music studio with a performance and rehearsal room and an adjacent acoustically-isolated recording booth are programmatic features designed for the teen demographic, including a kitchen and culinary learning center, and a computer lab.
The 40,000 square foot South Boston Boys & Girls Club required a complete gut renovation of the original 1940s structure in order to meet the dynamic and growing needs of its members. A new, fully accessible front entrance, stair and elevator were created to meet the Club’s inclusivity goals and provide a unified entrance and experience for all.
The interior programmatic spaces are redesigned to focus on serving three specific member groups: youth, pre-teen and teen. The youth areas on the second floor include a reading room, educational space, game room | lounge with a central circulation area. The pre-teen area located on the ground floor is situated in close proximity to the teen center, creating a synergistic atmosphere – although not directly connected – it is intended to inspire the younger members to remain engaged and actively participate in the program. Shared program areas include the pool, auditorium, dining room, music room, an art room with floor to ceiling windows, computer lab and gymnasium – each of these, with the exception of the pool, is located on the first floor to allow for maximum supervision and safety. Visibility was enhanced throughout the building by adding full glazing on doors, and colorful storefront glass between hallways and program areas.
The acoustically sound proof music space features a state-of-the-art recording booth and practice rooms. The new computer lab accommodates up to 25 students, with an adjacent graphics design space. Calming purple and yellow hues are used throughout the educational spaces, whereas energetic and active spaces such as the music room, are accented in orange.
This National Register of Historic Places-listed structure was built in 1955 and originally served as a dormitory for the Cardinal Cushing Center, one of the country’s leading schools for children with developmental disabilities. The renovation and adaptive reuse of the local landmark into Bethany Apartments reimagines the structure as contemporary and attractive residences, providing the community with 37 units of much-needed affordable housing. Utilizing historic tax credits and working closely with the State of Massachusetts and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, TAT has preserved the historic envelope of the three-story H-shaped brick building, maintaining the existing structure while creating a mix of bright and airy one, two, and three-bedroom homes within. Extensive renovation work included thermal improvement to a number of large historic windows and careful restoration of interior wainscoting and moldings; new elements include the addition of interior storm windows to enhance building envelope performance while preserving the historic exterior appearance. Taking advantage of the former school building’s impressive scale and layout, TAT designed a number of amenity spaces, the highlight of which is a fully programmed 2,000-square-foot-plus common area with 15-foot ceilings, located within a historic chapel.
The historic renovation and adaptive reuse of Royal Mills, a 500,000 square foot complex of five buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, involved the conversion of the abandoned and decaying mill into 244 residential units. The multitude of buildings and individual building geometries required a diverse mix of unit types and layouts. Public amenities include a promenade to other sites along the river, an observation deck above the tailrace, and a museum focusing on the mills’ historic importance in the community. Sustainable features include a new hydro powered turbine generator, which made use of an existing dam and revived the waterway that had run through the building.
This 40,000 square foot, 14 unit luxury residential condominium with underground parking was designed in a contemporized Tuscan villa style. The building responds to cues in the historic neighborhood, which includes several century-old Italianate-style multifamily apartment buildings and single-family homes.
Located on the banks of the Mumford River in the historic Blackstone River Valley Corridor, the historic adaptive reuse of the former 19th century cotton mill creates a thriving extension of the Northbridge community. The program features 75 affordable units for the 55+ senior population with resident amenities to include a lounge/library converted from the former engine room providing billiards, a reading area, fireplace and kitchen, as well as surface parking; and 20,000 square feet of ground level retail space. The firm ensured the mill retained its historic architectural integrity carefully restoring the Victorian mansard roofs, trim and historic bell tower, as well as leaving existing wood columns, beams and decking exposed through the common areas and resident units.
This upscale 155 unit apartment community is situated on 11.6-acres, adjacent to Walker Pond. The design includes the rehabilitation of an area surrounding the pond, providing public access walking paths and landscaped seating areas, creating a village-style setting for the development. The program is comprised of two four-story buildings and seven townhomes; resident amenities include a one-story community building with an outdoor pool, lounge and cafe, fitness center and media room.
Located in Boston’s Audubon Circle, near Landmark Center, Fenway Park, and Kenmore Square—Miner Street is a six-story luxury residential building with two levels of underground parking and concierge service. The building is constructed on a dense urban site in a community with residential, medical, and commercial buildings; and built partially over an active MBTA light rail tunnel. The design conveys an upscale contemporary appeal among the neighborhood’s historic buildings. A banded brick and precast façade is punctuated by metal projecting bays. An entry forecourt is fronted by an expansive pergola, while the lobby has oak paneling and granite and bluestone floors. Unit interiors incorporate a blend of upscale finishes and appliances and environmentally-friendly materials such as bamboo flooring and rubberwood kitchen cabinets. The property includes 61 units in a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom units, and a selection of 18 floor plans — some with Juliette balconies.
Located in the historic Charlestown Navy Yard, the design converted an early 19th century storage building into office and retail space. Two wings were added in cast stone that match the shape and detailing of the original gray ashlar granite in a distinct but compatible buff color. With the interpretive detailing of new arched openings, the wings are a seamless, yet clearly contemporary addition to the original structure.
Steps from historic West Concord Village and a new commuter rail station, Brookside Square pairs relaxed living with a beautifully serene conservation area. The 74 thoughtfully designed apartments are appointed with luxury custom interiors featuring hardwood floors, stone counters and architectural details. The well-conceived space was designed to resonate with professionals looking for the ideal transit-oriented environment and features studios, 1- and 2-bedroom units, and 36,000 square feet of first floor retail space.
The design involved the historic conversion of St. Aidan’s Church, the former John F. Kennedy Baptismal, into nine market rate condominiums and the master plan and redevelopment of adjacent land into a mixed-income residential community. This smart growth development includes the construction of three new buildings on the site comprised of rental, first-time homebuyer, and market rate units. Recognizing a significant cultural icon in the neighborhood, the firm, in collaboration with Antonio Di Mambro + Associates, organized its thoughtful plan around the church, using it to form a courtyard bordered by the new buildings.
The firm designed the historic renovation of an eight-story 120,000 square foot building, located in Boston’s Fort Point Channel, to accommodate mixed-use office and retail space. The renovation of the core and shell of two connected buildings involved the rehabilitation of the exterior brick façade, window, door and roof replacement, as well as sandblasting heavy timber wood beams and interior brick walls to expose architectural features of the original 1906 structure. The building offers 106,000 square feet of office space and 6,800 square feet of ground level retail space. The firm’s design incorporated a new exterior public stairway connecting Summer Street and A Street to supplement existing pedestrian access.
This new 90 unit senior living community, in the heart of downtown Watertown, provides residents with an innovative and attractive environment that reflects the urban setting in which the building resides. The interior combines warmth and safety with modern services and conveniences. To keep residents active and engaged, open plans enable visual connections between the various program elements. This approach provides sequenced destinations to encourage movement and creates a richer interior architectural experience. Amenity spaces include a dining room, cafe, living rooms, library, media room, activity room, and an enclosed outdoor patio.
Located within close proximity to Ipswich’s historic downtown and neighboring amenities, this new senior living community provides residences with an uplifting, welcoming and stimulating environment that combines seaside community charm with modern services and conveniences.
The 75 unit facility features integrated spaces that promote interactivity, creativity, wellness and independence. Each distinct area — living room, dining room, bistro, library, computer center, media area, life skills station and activity room — has been gracefully appointed with details that keep the mind, body and spirit thriving. The artwork features a local artist that captures the essence of the idyllic seaside community.
As part of a comprehensive planned urban development of the former Blue Ash municipal airport, Anthology of Blue Ash is a new four-story, 195,725 square foot community. Located on the grounds of the 130-acre site, the facility offers a continuum of care for seniors with 167 units of independent and assisted living, and 32 memory care units. This large-scale catalytic public-private redevelopment includes a diversified set of uses and services – commercial, industrial, natural, residential, and retail – creating a world-class placemaking destination for the residents of Cincinnati, now renamed Summit Park.
Anthology of Blue Ash is thoughtfully sited within the mixed-use neighborhood, with the front façade and outdoor patio facing the park. In keeping with the surrounding context, the predominantly brick structure features exposed structural steel accents, cement board paneling and siding, and multi-colored masonry details that stylistically create floating visual planes. A series of three-story colored frames are designed to disperse the overall massing into discrete façade elements that include oversized windows and dedicated inset balconies.
Upon entry, the café bistro imbues a boutique-like atmosphere with stylish bar seating, intimate gathering spaces, and an open-concept resident lounge for socialization. The interior design is a sophisticated monochrome aesthetic accented by natural wood and stone, combined with subtle blues, warm grays, and copper hues. Vistas from the main entry allow sight lines directly to generously landscaped outdoor space with a water feature, walking paths, and defined areas for recreation and relaxation.
Anchored around two large interior courtyards and innovatively programmed, the first floor features 45,000 square feet of amenity, office, and service space with double-height windows, allowing ample light to permeate the public areas. Shared independent and assisted living amenities, including three dining rooms, a game lounge, library, and salon, look toward the well-appointed exterior space. A sunroom, lounge, dining area, and seven units within the memory care neighborhood face an enclosed outdoor courtyard with a circular walking path.
The holistic design allows for the delivery of highly personalized and proactive resident care with a wellness approach that emphasizes the importance of state-of-the-art amenities, including an indoor pool, on-site physical therapy and fitness programs, golf simulator, craft room, and a theater/chapel space. To keep residents safe while socially connected, the community also provides a visitation suite permitting visitors direct entry with a glass wall and dedicated HVAC system, allowing for face-to-face interaction.
The Residence at Bala Cynwyd is a six-story, 102,000 square foot assisted living and memory care community comprised of 84 units on a prominent 4.8-acre site. The parcel was once home to the West Manayunk Woolen Mills, built in the 1850s, eventually becoming known as Lee’s Shoddy Mill, named for its production of recycled cloth from wool and cotton. The $26 million development required the demolition of the existing obsolete structures, extensive shoring, and considerable stabilization utilizing retaining walls. The new community’s stone veneer, exposed steel framing, bays, board-formed concrete, and natural exterior color palette pay homage to the former mill. Working with a local quarry, the design team sourced stone reminiscent of Wissahickon Schist to complement the brick and evoke the aesthetic of mid-19th century industrial structures in Pennsylvania.
Located at the gateway of Bala Cynwyd, the site features a challenging 100-foot slope at the rear and a historic flume running the entire length of the frontage. Collaborative efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were required for thoughtful remediation of the site, as the building footprint is constructed within 10 feet of the Gulley Run Creek. The unique constraints of the site were leveraged as a design advantage, creating a lower parking level beneath a concrete partition and three distinct access points: a vehicular bridge, a dedicated pedestrian bridge, and an occupied bridge spanning the creek for multifunctional use.
To maximize natural light and generate visual interest for residents and passersby, oversized windows and amenities are south facing, articulating the street, and newly created pedestrian walkways, a public pocket park, and a bicycle path. The interior program for this “personal care” community emphasizes indoor and outdoor connections, featuring a light-filled double-height passageway through the resident bistro to the central dining area, a large outdoor patio, and a sixth-floor roof deck with an adjacent sunroom. In Pennsylvania, personal care is the term used for communities that would be considered assisted throughout much of the country, offering private apartments, meals, and help with the activities of daily living. Textures, patterns, natural tones, materials, and finishes are layered to create an elevated boutique hotel-like environment for residents. Amenities include a second-floor fitness space, salon, and activities room.
With a robust building envelope, all-electric VRF systems, and high-efficiency tilt-and-turn windows, the community earned the National Green Building Standard Silver Status certification. Additional improvements include the construction of a 10-foot-wide sidewalk and landscaped verge to improve pedestrian entry to the front of the property and access to the adjacent Cynwyd Heritage Trail.
This elegant 84 unit senior living environment is situated in the heart of quaint Easton, on a beautifully landscaped campus within close proximity to cultural and recreational attractions. The architecture and interior spaces reflect the traditional and time-honored aesthetic of the community. The environment is both welcoming and uplifting, enhanced by a color palette emphasizing warm whites and deep chocolate hues with contrasting elements of tangerine and warm greys. The design provides residents with integrated amenity spaces that promote interactivity, creativity, wellness and independence, including an on-site gourmet restaurant, living rooms, library, media room, activity room, and outdoor seating and walking paths.
This award-winning assisted living community creates an attractive amenity-rich residential environment, incorporating the latest design concepts addressing the broad spectrum of physical, social, psychological and wellness requirements for varying levels of independence and acuity. The 94,000 square foot facility offers 84 units in a combination of studio, one- and two-bedroom independent and assisted living apartments, as well as 26 private and semi-private memory care apartments located in a separate and secure environment. Residents enjoy a full range of services including a gracious dining room, private dining rooms for family gatherings, art room, spa, fitness center, courtyard with outdoor fireplace, sunroom, library, activity room, tavern and lounge, brain gym and outdoor landscaped areas.
The exterior of this five-story addition is designed to echo the industrial expression of the existing structure. Inside, contemporary office space is organized around a new five-story atrium lobby formed at the juncture of the existing and new buildings. Glass elevators and open galleries on each floor promote continuous visibility into the atrium, and a curtain wall along the 4th and 5th floors provides generous light into the natural space.
The historic rehabilitation of this landmark mercantile building into new retail and office space addresses the building’s pivotal location between the theatre district and the abutting commercial corridor. The design created a seven-story retail atrium which faces and enlivens and abutting public plaza.
The firm designed the historic adaptive reuse of the former shoe packing factory into a new mixed use Transit Oriented Development. Adjacent to the former Washington Street Shoe District in downtown Haverhill, The Hayes was the first 40R development to be permitted in Massachusetts, and serves as an extension of the existing historic industrial neighborhood. The development offers a mix of 57 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with 33% dedicated as affordable units. The Hayes also offers 5,000 square feet of commercial space. The units are designed to have a loft-style feel boasting original features such as exposed wood beam ceilings and decking; and offer residents ample amenities, including a community room / cafe, indoor children’s play area, laundry room, and fitness center.
Designed to promote a sense of community in a non-institutional “village-style” setting, the award-winning Valley Brook Village serves as a model for future communities aimed at eliminating homelessness among U.S. Veterans. The new development is located on a 16-acre site within the township of Lyons, VA Hospital campus under a VA Enhanced Use Lease. The facility provides 62 units of permanent supportive veteran housing and will also provide on-site assistance resident services to include outpatient treatment programs and job training. The project is awaiting LEED for Homes Silver Certification.
This 120,000 square foot portion of the historic Whitman Mill was converted into a 75 unit residential community for active seniors. The design also included the restoration of the masonry façade and heavy timber framing and floor boards in accordance with the National Park Service Historic Preservation Guidelines.
Once the home of a well-known Massachusetts’ 19th century farm stand, the site was transformed into a new 54,000 square foot country-inspired senior living community, offering 32 independent and assisted living suites, and 30 memory care units. The design solution is expressive of an environment that creates an inviting, homelike setting, which is aesthetically pleasing and safe for residents. Designed to meet the diverse physical and cognitive needs of this population, the program incorporates areas for interactivity, creativity and promoting the varied interests of its residents, including a café, golf-themed bar, a Brain Gym, fitness center, art studio, a community room, and a private family dining room. In tribute to Lee’s Farm original use, both the exterior and interior designs reflect a country lifestyle exemplified through a warm tone color palette, the use of sliding barn doors, rustic wrought iron light fixtures, Shaker-style millwork and local artists’ work.
St. John of God, a continuum of care campus located in a densely populated residential neighborhood on a former Catholic hospital site consists of two new buildings and two existing buildings which were renovated with new additions. The completed project provided 83 independent living senior apartments, a 102 unit assisted living facility, a 78 bed skilled nursing facility and a 24 apartment hospice. The addition of two completely new buildings and the expansion of the existing buildings extended and perfected the inherent organizational intent of the original master plan without changing existing vehicular or pedestrian circulation patterns, preserved two mature beech trees and enhanced the campus-like quality of the site.
The design incorporates two new additions to unify the layout and complete the renovation of this formerly haphazard campus of a historic chapel, convent and 1960s-era nursing home into a new and cohesive assisted living and Alzheimer’s care facility. The additions accommodate 108 residential units and support areas. The original chapel, a 10,000 square foot structure with an organ loft and sanctuary, was fully restored, including the preservation and repair of its original stained glass windows.
This award-winning 164 unit senior residential community is located on the Butler Hospital campus and overlooks the Seekonk River. The S-shaped configuration weaves the building footprint through the tree line, creating entry and recreational courtyards. Gabled roof dormers, bay windows, and traditional brick detailing echo the architectural vocabulary of neighboring historic buildings while the configuration conveys a more contemporary sense of space. Resident amenities include dining rooms, lounges, libraries, a theatre, a pub, a heated indoor swimming pool, and a wellness center.
Marina Bay is a 167-bed skilled nursing facility that also provides transitional care and Alzheimer’s care, as well as inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services. Marina Bay was designed to replace a time-worn existing nursing home and now provides residents with an upscale contemporary setting. The facility is configured in an X-shape, with resident rooms radiating off from the central core, where support facilities and program required spaces are situated. Innovative “staggered” resident rooms were designed to provide an additional level of privacy to each patient, while the distribution of common areas “on-unit” opens up the wings to be more inviting and to distribute natural light. Marina Bay is the second phase of the Marina Bay Continuing Care Campus. The building is situated across from the Marina Place Assisted Living Facility, also designed by the firm.
The overall interior and exterior architecture is developed with the idea of providing a fun and engaging creative environment. A “Main Street” corridor links the separate youth and teen areas, and leads to common areas such as the pool, gymnasium, and computer center. Vibrant color schemes reflect the personality and purpose of each program area, and striking curved walls with recessed shapes accentuate a dynamic and youthful atmosphere.
This 44 unit luxury condominium development is located on the banks of Jacob’s Pond. The building’s asymmetrical organization of varied building forms mimics the familiar informality of local farmhouses, as does the regularity of the fenestration and clapboard panels. The design incorporates existing vegetation and divides the building into two distinctly separate forms, reducing the building scale, better situating the structure relative to the pond, and maximizing views of the pond from the building.
Originally built as the elegant St. James Hotel in 1868, the Franklin Square House was once host to Ulysses S. Grant, Johann Straus and Diamond Jim Brady. After closing in 1888, the building served subsequent uses as a women’s dormitory for the New England Conservatory and later, in 1904, as a residential hotel for young working women. The building incorporated several innovations of the time including hybrid steel frame/wood joist construction and steam elevators. The firm’s conversion of the building to senior housing was ground-breaking work at the time and a vanguard of the Boston’s South End renaissance of the 1980s and 1990s. A regal presence on Franklin Square, the firm restored the Second Empire roof and dormers, as well as repairing or reproducing the cast stone corbels, quoins and window headers of the main façade. The artful interior layout preserved and incorporated significant interior spaces and details including the main entry foyer with its curved period staircase and, most significantly, Sleeper Memorial Hall, the former ballroom. The firm first completed the historic conversion in 1974 and concluded additional building renovations in 2012.
Built on the existing 30-acre Village of Duxbury, this senior living community includes 15 luxury duplex-style garden homes. The homes are set behind the main village structure, situated on a quiet street grid that mimics a typical suburban block pattern. The physical separation promotes the senior residents’ feeling of independence, in an architectural form that creates a familiar sense of neighborhood.
Newly constructed on a 290,523 square foot site, the firm designed the core, shell and the interior layout of this single-story, 4,500 square foot, wood-framed DCU Federal Credit Union branch. The program includes a teller area, multiple offices, vault storage, two lane drive-thru, employee break room with kitchenette, customer lounge, and parking for 41 vehicles.
The complete renovation of the existing Keane Children’s Center at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club reserved the historic character of the building while creating a safe, efficient and inspired program. The design emphasizes durable construction materials, engaging learn/play areas, maximizing staff visibility and access, and maintaining significant historical elements throughout the facility, such as the existing wood beam ceilings in the main entrance and the library.
The award-winning restoration and adaptive reuse of this historic school into a 61 unit assisted living facility was especially challenging with regard to internal circulation. Although only four-stories in height, the 60,000 square foot building had 13 different floor levels. The design solution created two internal ramps and two new elevators, providing access to every level with maximum economy of movement and travel distance – a critical issue in assisted living environments.
The LEED Silver Certified Bourne Mill Apartments are the historic adaptive reuse of eight former mill buildings, each conversion required unique design solutions resulting in a variety of unit types to include deep loft style units with innovative raised sleeping areas; multi-level units built within the existing masonry shell of former boiler rooms, and dual exterior exposure units created by removing the roof on a one-story building to carve out a new interior courtyard. Many historic elements of the mill have also been maintained including the clock tower and deep roof overhangs on the main building.
Formerly a 19th-century girls’ school, and more recently a corporate headquarters, this building was converted into a 124 unit assisted living facility through both historic renovation and new additions. The original chapel was preserved and converted into a library, while the former meeting hall was renovated as an indoor/outdoor space serving a new cinema, café, and indoor garden.
Located in a wooded setting, the firm designed this new three-story, 66 unit senior affordable housing development to reflect the grand examples of New England coastal architecture. The facility offers residents one- and two-bedroom rental units with supportive services to help promote independent living. Other resident amenities include a community room, kitchen, laundry facilities and other ancillary services. LEED Gold Certified, the site plan incorporates a series of “low-impact” design elements that minimize impervious surfaces where possible, provide usable open space for residents, and act as a buffer to adjacent land uses.
The firm designed this new flagship senior living community to encourage socialization while providing secure interior and exterior areas, ensuring resident well-being and safety. Both the assisted living and memory care areas operate independently, with the balance of the building devoted to assisted living with designated common areas and amenity spaces. The design concept for the memory care wing mimics the circular internal courtyard fostering a familiar environment that helps to safely orient “wandering” residents through the space. The program provides for a mix of 70 beds (62 units) of private and semi-private one-bedroom apartments. Resident amenities include spacious common areas, outdoor patio and gardens, private dining room, Internet cafe, Brain Gym, movie screening room, and beauty and barber shops.
Situated on 16 picturesque acres, the firm designed a highly efficient memory impairment unit to seamlessly integrate with an attached existing assisted living facility. The program provides for a mix of studio and one-bedroom units with resident amenities to include common areas, outdoor patio/gardens, private dining room, and Brain Gym. A single commercial kitchen services both the assisted living and memory care areas, with a large country resident kitchen designed to visually connect the common living and dining areas.
Taking cues from the history of the site and the abutting property, the design uses bands of colored brick, varied roofs, and tower forms to evoke a picturesque composition reminiscent of a 19th-century parish house. Major ancillary facilities – physical and occupational therapy center, dining areas, and other support services – are organized on the short leg of the L-shaped plan facing the street. The 123 skilled-nursing beds are located on the long leg overlooking a wooded area.
Located along the Assabet River in the heart of the West Concord shopping village, Concord Park was designed to reflect the community’s architectural tradition and historic context. This new 65,000 square foot features a mix of 78 studio and one-bedroom apartments for independent and assisted living as well as memory care. Resident amenities include common areas, outdoor landscaped courtyard and patio, and access to walking trails along the river.
Extensive renovations and new addition were completed for the Pope John Paul II Academy as part of the Archdiocese of Boston’s “2010 Initiative”. A floor was added over the auditorium to accommodate new classrooms, a science laboratory and an art room. The work involved the reorganization and optimization of the interiors spaces and upgrades to existing classrooms and common areas, including: heating, ventilation, electrical, data/plumbing systems, new finishes, lighting and accessibility.
The $20 million rehabilitation of Pequot Highlands modernizes two connected buildings, totaling 250 affordable units: a thirteen-story high-rise and a seven-story mid-rise, originally built in 1971. One of the main goals of retrofitting older structures is to create a high-performance building envelope to optimize heating and cooling, which requires a combination of design techniques. Exterior renovations included a complete overhaul of the façade replacing the deteriorating red brick with a new 3-inch insulated metal panel system, substantially increasing the exterior wall’s energy efficiency by 10%. Overall thermal efficacy was improved by applying a new Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer (EPDT) roofing system and installing double-paned windows with insulating glazing.
Throughout the interior of the buildings, air quality was improved with the installation of new corridor make-up systems, old faucets and fixtures were replaced with low-flow alternatives to mitigate wasteful water consumption, and new lighting fixtures with occupancy sensors help to minimize energy consumption and increase security. Replacing older appliances in each unit with Energy Star models reduces utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The outdated HVAC system was replaced with a combined heat and power (CHP) system that provides on-site electric power and heating via the existing natural gas service. This cogeneration system helps maintain a consistent temperature and airflow for resident comfort and delivers energy 50 percent more efficiently than traditional systems.
The moderate rehabilitation of Pequot Highlands will help attract tenants, meet energy efficiency goals, reduce operating expenses, and represents one of the best opportunities to create a more sustainable environment.
Blackstone Apartments is a 145 unit low and moderate income community development located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, with easy access to the Charles River and Downtown Boston. The 11-story building was constructed in 1978 and sits adjacent to Massachusetts General Hospital. The hospital provides an on-site wellness and health services program for Blackstone residents. The rehabilitation of the property included a major envelope reconstruction that improved overall thermal performance while providing a much needed upgrade to the building appearance. Other investments addressed energy efficiency, air quality and interior finishes. The design also expanded and reconfigured the property’s existing community spaces making them more conducive to resident use and activities.
The $3M moderate rehabilitation of Skymark Tower involved successfully repositioning a 24-story, 196 unit mixed-use structure originally built in 1991. Improvements include significant façade repairs with signage and accent lighting, elevator modernization, and building entrance upgrades. The stylish interior redesign elevates the building’s appeal with a welcoming, lively aesthetic, including a reimagined resident lobby with new furnishings and fixtures, an upgraded fitness center, and an enhanced resident entertainment lounge. Mailroom improvements incorporate package-receiving services through Amazon secure lockers.
Distinctive elements such as woodwork detailing, custom wallcoverings, and artwork contribute to a unique identity for the property, which has been renamed The 6Hundred. This transformation positions the building as a catalyst for future investments in the downtown area. Conveniently located in the Federal Square neighborhood and a rapidly emerging arts district, the property is within walking distance to Polar Park and a short distance from many of Worcester’s colleges.
Before the conversion of the building into affordable senior housing in the 1970s, the Briarcliff opened as a luxury apartment building in 1925 built by Asa Candler Jr. son of Coca Cola magnate and mayor of Atlanta, Asa Candler, Sr. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the property suffered decades of neglect before its recent renovation sparked a revitalization in the downtown Atlanta neighborhood. The firm’s design ensured the building retained its historic architectural integrity, at the same time, preserving quality affordable senior housing for local residents. Funded in part by Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and federal and state Historic Tax Credits, the 201 unit building underwent extensive interior and exterior renovations and historic rehabilitation.
Located in historic downtown New Bedford, with striking panoramic views of the harbor, The Regency represents the remarkable impact that public-private partnerships have on revitalizing a community. Funded by federal and state agencies and private institutions, the $32.4 million renovation of the 15-story apartment building transformed it from a deteriorating liability into a prominent 129 unit mixed-income residential asset. Helping to promote quality of life in New Bedford and attract new residents to the area, the redevelopment fosters a vibrant new sense of community by providing much needed affordable mixed-income housing. The firm’s renovations consisted of a nearly complete replacement of the façade, roof, and HVAC systems, and the conversion of under-utilized commercial space into new penthouse apartments. Additionally, the firm’s interior design studio designed and furnished common areas including the main entry lobby, management office suite, common corridors and elevator lobbies; and new community spaces to include a resident lounge, billiard and media room. Renovations also included refurbishing apartment interiors with new appliances and finishes.
The rehabilitation of Sencit Liberty Apartments is the successful modernization of 153 units of affordable housing across three buildings in Atlantic City, improving financial performance, energy efficiency, and livability. All three properties were repositioned as multifamily housing in prior years and include the historic Liberty Apartments, originally built in 1924, serving as a hotel until its conversion into 76 units; Schoolhouse Apartments, formerly the Illinois Avenue School, built in 1906 and later adapted into 66 units; and Disston Apartments, initially operating as a YMCA, subsequently converted into 20 units.
Upgrades, with various levels of renovation throughout the scattered site, include new HVAC systems, canopy and façade repair, new window security screens, the installation of high-efficiency gas-fired condensing boilers, and the repointing, cleaning, and painting of exterior masonry. Designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities standards, each property is equipped with Energy Star appliances, new plumbing, and gas-fired water heaters with 95% efficiency, low-flow toilets, and LED lighting.
Intended to help address the pressing nationwide need for affordable rental housing, these historic and architecturally significant buildings have been successfully restored as sustainable and cost-efficient assets to the city.
The firm transformed a once blighted and condemned housing complex into an attractive, safe, and affordable multifamily housing community. The redevelopment involved the demolition of several condemned buildings and the conversion of the remaining buildings into 112 units of mixed-income housing. The firm’s extensive rehabilitation and renovations involved exterior masonry repairs, roof and window replacement, upgrading resident unit finishes and fixtures, and ample landscaping. The program also provides residents with an on-site management office, community room, playground, laundry room, and state-of-the-art security system.
The firm’s initial restoration and adaptation of this former bank into senior housing and commercial space was completed in 1983, and required the addition of two new stories to the historic structure. The design scheme stepped back the new 4th and 5th floors to preserve sight lines from the street. Selective interior demolition of the site was employed to create a light filled interior courtyard and parking areas. In 2012, a second generation of renovations and building improvements were concluded.
Originally built as the elegant St. James Hotel in 1868, the Franklin Square House was once host to Ulysses S. Grant, Johann Straus and Diamond Jim Brady. After closing in 1888, the building served subsequent uses as a women’s dormitory for the New England Conservatory and later, in 1904, as a residential hotel for young working women. The building incorporated several innovations of the time including hybrid steel frame/wood joist construction and steam elevators. The firm’s conversion of the building to senior housing was ground-breaking work at the time and a vanguard of the Boston’s South End renaissance of the 1980s and 1990s. A regal presence on Franklin Square, the firm restored the Second Empire roof and dormers, as well as repairing or reproducing the cast stone corbels, quoins and window headers of the main façade. The artful interior layout preserved and incorporated significant interior spaces and details including the main entry foyer with its curved period staircase and, most significantly, Sleeper Memorial Hall, the former ballroom. The firm first completed the historic conversion in 1974 and concluded additional building renovations in 2012.
Located in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, Hearth at Four Corners is a 62+ age-restricted community providing safe and supportive affordable units for low-income seniors and those at risk of homelessness. This new 50,000 square foot, four-story wood framed, transit-oriented development activates a formerly vacant lot. The property abuts a MBTA commuter rail to the east, an affordable complex to the north, and faces an established residential neighborhood with triple-decker and Victorian-style houses.
With a total of 54 units, this transitional style L-shaped structure sits on a plateau overlooking the city of Boston, featuring a public plaza at the main entry. Designed with a brick masonry base and shingle siding, the facade transitions to flat panels and floor-to-ceiling windows. The large glass center volume houses commercial space, a community room and kitchen, a fitness center, activity space, and central laundry for residents. The community room seamlessly connects to a light-filled patio creating a functional indoor-outdoor extension of living space. An inviting palette of medium-saturated green and jewel-teal combine with warm finishes and colorful, contemporary artwork to provide a vibrant yet tranquil environment.
Designed to be LEED Gold Certifiable, Hearth at Four Corners provides 24/7 access to on-site concierge services and is ideally located in close proximity to shopping, dining, medical facilities, banking, and other city services. TAT collaborated with D/R/E/A/M Collaborative, fulfilling a major need for attainable senior housing options.
The moderate rehabilitation of an affordable housing development, Edmand’s House was originally built in 1973 and is comprised of two six-story buildings and 190 units. The primary renovation work involved replacing the heating system from an electrical baseboard to a high-efficiency hot water baseboard heating system and installing a gas-fired co-generation system for power generation for one building. Additional sustainability upgrades included new high-efficiency windows and sliding doors, low flow plumbing fixtures, LED lighting and occupancy sensors, and new roof insulation and membrane.
Other notable work included safety improvements, accessibility upgrades, kitchen and bathroom enhancements, and the complete renovation of the management offices, hallways, lobbies, and common areas. Underutilized common space was revitalized to provide residents with a fitness center, computer learning center, and a community room. New exterior amenities include a landscaped courtyard, playground, and walking paths with new exterior lighting. Interiors in collaboration with Beacon Concepts.
This community of two-level buildings with 54 apartment homes is located in a picturesque countryside setting and underwent an extensive occupied rehabilitation. The replacement of all unit finishes included: flooring, cabinets, countertops, vanities, paint, doors and appliances. The renovation extended into the common spaces, community room, kitchen and mail rooms, where new flooring, storefront entrances, lighting and ventilation systems were upgraded. The deteriorated wood framing along the building exterior – sheathing, rim joists – together with the siding, the roof, windows and trellis structures at building entrance and unit balconies were replaced. New walkways and a playground were created, and the building and parking were made accessible.
The transformation of the decommissioned Mattapan Public Library is designed exclusively for at-risk neighborhood teens to deliver critically needed social and educational programs in a safe, contemporary and technology-rich environment. The design solution for repurposing the 7,200 square foot building focused on creating an enlivened community space that promotes engagement, participation and a sense of ownership among those it serves. This is largely achieved through transparency as all program areas, which are adjacent to the main lobby, have been made visible though glass windows, doors or partitions. A multipurpose, 80-seat performance center equipped with movable seating and stage platform, a music studio with a performance and rehearsal room and an adjacent acoustically-isolated recording booth are programmatic features designed for the teen demographic, including a kitchen and culinary learning center, and a computer lab.
Located within close proximity to Ipswich’s historic downtown and neighboring amenities, this new senior living community provides residences with an uplifting, welcoming and stimulating environment that combines seaside community charm with modern services and conveniences.
The 75 unit facility features integrated spaces that promote interactivity, creativity, wellness and independence. Each distinct area — living room, dining room, bistro, library, computer center, media area, life skills station and activity room — has been gracefully appointed with details that keep the mind, body and spirit thriving. The artwork features a local artist that captures the essence of the idyllic seaside community.
Teresian House involved the renovation and expansion of an existing 300 bed skilled nursing facility, decompressing the rooms from double- to single-occupancy, and the addition of a dedicated 102 bed Alzheimer’s care section. Selective demolition and new construction allowed for programmatic reorganization, dividing the facility into four donut-shaped pods, arranged around courtyards. Each cluster has a direct relationship to a nursing station. The addition included a new 250-seat chapel.