Items Tagged ‘Massachusetts’
Cambridge City Hall Annex
Project Name:
Cambridge City Hall AnnexLocation:
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
1939 & 2003Original Use(s):
schoolNew Use(s):
municipal officesProject Description:
History
Built in 1871, this building originally served as the Harvard Grammar School for Cambridge. The building sustained significant damage during a fire in 1899. It was then renovated and a new third floor and brick parapet were added.
(Re)Developer
Please supply any developer info you may have regarding the original conversion that took place in 1939.
For the 2002-2003 renovation, the City worked with HKT Architects and Consigli Construction.
Outcome
The 1939 work on the building saw the City convert the school into a new municipal office building. At that time, the brick parapet was removed due to structural issues. The 2002-2003 renovation however saw the building convert into an example of sustainability. The historic exterior of the building was preserved and the brick parapet was recreated to capture the building’s historical significance. A number of new green features were incorporated: water-efficient landscaping, alternative commuting options, minimized heat absorption, recycled materials, sustainable forestry, indoor environmental air quality, solar power, no boiler or furnace, maximized daylighting, “intelligent” lighting, and targeting energy use.[1]
[1]City of Cambridge
Images courtesy of Engine21.
Lee Corporate Center
Project Name:
Lee Corporate CenterLocation:
Lee, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
1995Original Use(s):
warehouseNew Use(s):
office and light industrial spaceProject Description:
History
Built in 1971, the building originally was used as a warehouse for Kay-Bee Toys.[1]
(Re)Developer
The project was jointly developed by the Lee Community Development Corporation and Berkshire Housing Development Corporation (both non-profits). It is currently owned by Lee Industrial Realty Corporation.
Outcome
The partnership was successful in taking the vacant warehouse and repurposing it as a multi-use complex. The site is now the location of offices and light industry. It achieved its desired plan to help create new jobs in Lee.[2]
[1]Berkshire Housing Development Corporation
[2]Berkshire Housing Development Corporation
Images courtesy of Berkshire Housing Development Corporation.
Redfield House
Project Name:
Redfield HouseLocation:
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
1992Original Use(s):
public schoolNew Use(s):
housing and support services for pregnant and parenting young womenProject Description:
History
The old Pittsfield Redfield School was built in 1896 and was able to hold 330 students.[1]
(Re)Developer
The non-profit Berkshire Housing Development Corporation purchased the building to help better serve the needs of the community.
Outcome
Redfield House now serves as a supportive housing complex for young single mothers and their children. The first floor is used for offices and meeting space, while the upper floors include 24 apartments. “It gives women an opportunity to complete their education and learn work skills while living in a safe, secure environment.”[2]
[1]The Internet Archive
[2]Berkshire Housing Development Corporation
Images courtesy of Berkshire Housing Development Corporation.
Silas Kopf’s Studio
Project Name:
Silas Kopf’s StudioLocation:
Easthampton, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
2002Original Use(s):
fire stationNew Use(s):
art studioProject Description:
History
Built in 1885, the historic fire station on Union Street in Easthampton served the community for over a decade. The tall red brick tower can be seen throughout downtown.[1] In the late 1990s, the city began a project to build a new public safety building in downtown to house the fire and police departments.
(Re)Developer
After the fire department moved to its new location, master of marquetry Silas Kopf purchased the public building to convert it into his studio space. He has been slowly updating the place to make it more of a studio while also respecting the original structure.
Outcome
The old firehouse is now a wonderful studio building within downtown Easthampton. The paved access areas of the old building have been converted into garden spaces. The original engine bay entries have retained their shape but now serve as large windows. The studio is a welcome addition to the growing art community in Easthampton.
[1]The Boston Globe
Images courtesy of Phil LaCombe and Wikimedia Commons.
Manhan Cafe
Project Name:
Manhan CafeLocation:
Easthampton, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
2006Original Use(s):
gas stationNew Use(s):
retail (cafe)Project Description:
History
An old gas station next to the city’s original firehouse closed down in the early 2000s. The location was a block away from another larger gas station and along one of the main corridors in Easthampton. Around the same time that the gas station shut down, the fire department vacated the firehouse for a brand new public safety building.
(Re)Developer
Douglas Hurteau and his daughter Jessica purchased the old gas station in 2006. Their dream was to create a new community space out of an auto-centric (small) piece of land.
Outcome
The Hurteaus successfully developed a thriving new space for the Easthampton community. Their timing was precise as they converted the gas station as the town was (and still is) experiencing an arts “renaissance”. The cafe is now a welcome fixture within the “community, offering a place for local artists to display their works and local musicians to perform. ” It is “a lovely place to grab a great cup of coffee, sit and read the paper, or check email on your laptop (free wireless internet).”[1] Located just off the Manhan Rail Trail, the site still retains a large parking lot as well.
[1]EasthamptonWeb
Images courtesy of EasthamptonWeb, Manhan Café (via Facebook).
Leominster Councilor Calls Mixed-Use Zoning a Challenge
Project Name:
Leominster Councilor Calls Mixed-Use Zoning a ChallengeLocation:
Completion Date:
Original Use(s):
New Use(s):
Project Description:
Leominster, Massachusetts, is attempting to deal with its inventory of vacant and underutilized properties by updating its zoning to incorporate a “Mixed Use 1 district.” This district would allow buildings to mix residential, commercial, and industrial. At present, the city allows commercial and industrial mixing. The issue raised with this rezoning is that the city is attempting to fix this city-wide problem by focusing on one district. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc is also proposing that the city consider creating “adaptive reuse laws” which would allow developers to mix uses in adaptive reuse projects on a case-by-case situation.
Eastworks
Project Name:
EastworksLocation:
Easthampton, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
1997Original Use(s):
mill factoryNew Use(s):
mixed-use (retail, office, residential lofts)Project Description:
History
Prior to its adaptive reuse, Eastworks was the home of Stanley Home Products. The company manufactured home good items at the location for decades before it was merged and consolidated with other locations. The 500,000 sf factory is part of a series of mills that made up the West Boylston Co. That textile company had moved out of the city in the 1920s, leaving the Eastworks building to become home to Stanhome.[1] The mill is located along the Lower Mill Pond and Manhan Railroad (now the Manhan Rail Trail).
(Re)Developer
In 1997, private developer Will Bundy purchased the Stanhome building and founded Eastworks LLC. Through his efforts, he planned to reuse the building as a mixed-use community.
Outcome
Eastworks is now a mixed-use center for artists, residents, and retail. The redevelopment of the structure has been noted as the element that jump started a rebirth in the cityʼs economy. Developed over a number of phases with work still continuing, the project has met with a lot of enthusiasm and activity. It’s “a practical and dynamic home for community-based organizations making an impact in the Pioneer Valley and beyond, whether through entrepreneurship, artists supporting and engaging each other’s initiatives, or the far-reaching work of non-profit foundations.”[2]
[1]Eastworks
[2]Eastworks
Images courtesy of JK Parkin, Atalasoft, and mighty stina.
The Brewery Small Business Center
Project Name:
The Brewery Small Business CenterLocation:
Boston, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
OngoingOriginal Use(s):
Haffenreffer BreweryNew Use(s):
small business centerProject Description:
History
The complex was first built in 1871 as the Haffenreffer Brewery. The business saw its height topping out at 250 employees before competition in the 1950s caused production to slow. In 1965, the brewery is shut down. It became home for a moving company for a short time as well as squatters. The brewery complex gained recognition in 1982 when it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
(Re)Developer
The non-profit Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) was founded in 1977 and soon afterwards sought to purchase the brewery as a cornerstone to their community development efforts of revitalizing the neighborhood and supporting small businesses. After five years of fundraising, JPNDC succeeds in purchasing the brewery.
Outcome
About 10 years later, two-thirds of the building was revitalized and opened to house new local businesses. In 2008, JPNDC began the final phase to renovate the remaining portion of the five-acre, 16-building, 150,000-square foot complex. The non-profit’s goal was to “bring back the jobs that were lost when the Haffenreffer Brewery ceased operations in the 1960s and to create a supportive environment for local businesses.” A resounding success, the complex is now home to 50 small businesses with over 250 people employed.[1]
In the spirit of sustainability, JPNDC has been able to reuse a significant structure within their neighborhood, saving land and resources. At the same time, the “blight” and social problems of a vacant building have been cleared away, ushering in renewed activity and a successful local economy.
[1]Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation
Images courtesy of Boston Restaurant Talk, Gail Rush, and Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation.
MASS MoCA
Project Name:
MASS MoCALocation:
North Adams, Massachusetts, USACompletion Date:
1999Original Use(s):
numerous industriesNew Use(s):
museum, small business centerProject Description:
History
The site has been used for industrial purposes for hundreds of years. The 26 buildings on the site create interlocking courtyards and passageways and are coupled with bridges, viaducts and elevated walkways. Between the late 1700s to mid 1800s, the site included: “wholesale shoe manufacturers; a brick yard; a saw mill; cabinet-makers; hat manufacturers; machine shops for the construction of mill machines; marble works; wagon- and sleigh-makers; and an ironworks, which later forged armor plates for the Civil War ship, the Monitor.” In 1860, Arnold Print Works set up operations at the site and became one of the leading producers of printed textiles in the world. It built 25 of the 26 present buildings. Arnold consolidated its operations in Adams, Massachusetts, in 1942. Later that year, Sprague Electric Company set up shop and retrofitted the interiors to allow for the production of electronics. Competition from abroad forced the company to shut down the location in 1985.
(Re)Developer
Local leaders began the process by identifying the site as an opportunity for reuse. At the same time, Williams College Museum of Art was in need of exhibition space. With the teamwork of the city government and Williams staff, the state legislature announced its support and funding for the project in 1988. In the end, the structure was adapted through state, nonprofit (institutional), and private funding.[1]
Outcome
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arty (MASS MoCA) opened in 1999 and has since created a ripple effect with new investment in the surrounding area. To offset some of the cultural center’s operating costs, MASS MoCA also includes space that it leases out to businesses in an effort to support small business development in the area. “The arts create and bestow community identity. A strong identity rallies confidence, hope, productivity, pride and economic vibrancy. These are base conditions for a healthy community; they cannot be created, however without risk, adventure, and the willingness to embrace the new.”[2]
[1]MASS MoCA
[2]MASS MoCA
Images courtesy of Ragged Cloth Cafe, Kwaree, Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc., The Boston Globe, and Nicholas Whitman.