Impactful Housing Projects Across the Northeast
Across the Northeast, our engineers, scientists, planners, and landscape architects are contributing to innovative developments which meet the community’s need for new housing, jobs, and retail, while incorporating best practices from our many technical specialties, such as stormwater and traffic engineering. These projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are generating interest for their creativity and thoughtful design.
Portsmouth, NH: Converting a Church to Affordable Housing
We partnered with the Portsmouth Housing Authority, Christ Episcopal Church, and HAVEN on this unique project, which involves converting an existing church building into a mixed-use development featuring affordable apartments, transitional housing units, new administrative offices for HAVEN, and a renovated day-care center.
The existing parish will be relocated to the current rectory building, which will also be renovated. The design includes a plan to preserve the African Burying Grounds at Langdon Farm, which is located on-site. The project is now fully permitted by the City, and construction is expected to start early next year.
Amherst, MA: New Development Achieves Passive House Certification
Our engineers supported Austin Design Cooperative, Valley Community Development Corporation (Valley CDC), and Center for EcoTechnology on the design of East Gables, a new affordable housing facility. We provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), fire protection, and technology system design for the facility, which has achieved Passive House certification.
Key sustainability features for the building include high-efficiency air source heat pump systems for heating and air conditioning, energy recovery ventilators for building ventilation, and LED lighting systems. The facility also features an approximately 30-kW, roof-mounted, solar array.
Darien, CT: Corbin District Sees Progress & New Tenants
This mixed-use project, currently in development, combines new housing, retail, and office space in a transit-oriented neighborhood with access to Darien’s Metro-North train station. Our team is supporting developer Baywater Properties with site and traffic design for the project, as well as landscape architecture services for the current phase of development.
Drawing inspiration from early coastal New England communities, the development introduces a series of public spaces, including pedestrian plazas that provide a flexible space for public functions. This project recently made news with a successful round of funding for Phase 2, and the announcement that a national consulting firm will relocate their growing Connecticut office to the Corbin District.