Chestnut Park Apartments

Holyoke, MA

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.

Related Projects

• The St. Aidan
• Voke Lofts