A recently opened multifamily property in Lawrence, Mass., is an adaptive reuse of an 1840s-era mill building. Stone Mill Lofts is one of the first all-electric mixed-income multifamily properties in Massachusetts. The all-electric building meets ambitious modern energy codes and stringent National Park Service historic preservation guidelines.
The $39.2 million project transformed the oldest mill in Lawrence, a former industrial powerhouse, into 86 units of rental housing. An airtight, ultra-efficient building envelope includes the use of substantial insulation, high-performance historic replica windows, high-efficiency heat pumps, and energy recovery systems. The development’s fossil-fuel-free design is expected to use 46% less energy and result in greenhouse gas emissions reductions of an estimated 33% compared to a typical apartment building.
Fifty-eight apartments are intended for households earning up to 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), 11 apartments are for those earning up to 30% AMI, and 17 units will be leased at market rates. The 149,220 sf complex was constructed between 1845 and 1848, harnessing the Merrimack River to manufacture tools, mill machinery, water turbines, and millwork for textile factories.
The building team preserved the structure’s unique historic characteristics while installing four inches of insulation and high-performance, historic replica windows, making highly efficient electric building mechanical systems feasible. “We believe Stone Mill Lofts is one of the most significant projects to result from our longstanding partnership with WinnDevelopment because it sets a new standard for how historic preservation and adaptive reuse can address the affordable housing crisis and climate change at the same time,” said Scott Maenpaa, TAT project manager.
Stone Mill Lofts offers 50 one-bedroom apartments, 28 two-bedroom two-bath units, and eight three-bedroom two-bath units. Every apartment benefits from large window openings and the thoughtful integration of existing historic elements such as exposed, original wood beam ceilings.
On-site amenities include an expansive resident lounge and kitchen, billiards room, a fitness center with interactive equipment and a yoga nook, a children’s playroom, indoor and secure bicycle parking, resident storage lockers, work-from-home pods, secure package room, a historic mill exhibit room, nicely landscaped outdoor areas, and a patio. The 2.3-acre site is located within walking distance of a commuter rail line to Boston.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities contributed $3.1 million from the Affordable Housing Trust and Housing Stabilization Funds. The project also benefited from more than $38 million in Federal and State Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity and Federal and State Historic Tax Credit equity.
Owner and/or developer: WinnCompanies
Design architect: The Architectural Team, Inc. (TAT)
Architect of record: The Architectural Team, Inc. (TAT)
MEP engineer: R.W. Sullivan Engineering
Structural engineer: Odeh Engineers/WSP
General contractor/construction manager: Keith Construction, Inc.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | May 4, 2023
In Southern California, a former industrial zone continues to revitalize with an award-winning office property
In Culver City, Calif., Del Amo Construction, a construction company based in Southern California, has completed the adaptive reuse of 3516 Schaefer St, a new office property. 3516 Schaefer is located in Culver City’s redeveloped Hayden Tract neighborhood, a former industrial zone that has become a technology and corporate hub.
Libraries | Mar 26, 2023
An abandoned T.J. Maxx is transformed into a new public library in Cincinnati
What was once an abandoned T.J. Maxx store in a shopping center is now a vibrant, inviting public library. The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) has transformed the ghost store into the new Deer Park Library, designed by GBBN.
Affordable Housing | Mar 8, 2023
7 affordable housing developments built near historic districts, community ties
While some new multifamily developments strive for modernity, others choose to retain historic aesthetics.
Adaptive Reuse | Mar 5, 2023
Pittsburgh offers funds for office-to-residential conversions
The City of Pittsburgh’s redevelopment agency is accepting applications for funding from developers on projects to convert office buildings into affordable housing. The city’s goals are to improve downtown vitality, make better use of underutilized and vacant commercial office space, and alleviate a housing shortage.
Giants 400 | Feb 6, 2023
2022 Reconstruction Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. building reconstruction and renovation sector
Gensler, Stantec, IPS, Alfa Tech, STO Building Group, and Turner Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest reconstruction sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 23, 2023
Long Beach, Calif., office tower converted to market rate multifamily housing
A project to convert an underperforming mid-century office tower in Long Beach, Calif., created badly needed market rate housing with a significantly lowered carbon footprint. The adaptive reuse project, composed of 203,177 sf including parking, created 106 apartment units out of a Class B office building that had been vacant for about 10 years.
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2023
Invest in existing buildings for your university
According to Nick Sillies of GBBN, students are increasingly asking: "How sustainable is your institution?" Reusing existing buildings may help answer that.
Government Buildings | Jan 9, 2023
Blackstone, Starwood among real estate giants urging President Biden to repurpose unused federal office space for housing
The Real Estate Roundtable, a group including major real estate firms such as Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, Empire State Realty Trust, Starwood Capital, as well as multiple major banks and CRE professional organizations, recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden on the implications of remote work within the federal government.
Adaptive Reuse | Dec 21, 2022
University of Pittsburgh reinvents century-old Model-T building as a life sciences research facility
After opening earlier this year, The Assembly recently achieved LEED Gold certification, aligning with the school’s and community’s larger sustainability efforts.
Adaptive Reuse | Dec 9, 2022
What's old is new: Why you should consider adaptive reuse
While new construction allows for incredible levels of customization, there’s no denying that new buildings can have adverse impacts on the climate, budgets, schedules and even the cultural and historic fabrics of communities.
