Community Connection
This concept of growing and sustaining a community was top of mind not only for Winn Development and TAT, but also
for the city of Lawrence and the various other entities involved in this adaptive reuse process. Throughout each stage of the project, the development team worked closely with private, city and state groups that were eager to see the rapidly decaying structures of Malden Mills returned to a productive use. This support was particularly important for Loft Five50’s success because numerous local renovation projects had failed during the prior decade because of a lack of financing that could carry construction overruns and approval delays. Close collaboration with the Massachusetts Historic Commission and the National Park Service, for instance, ensured the project team was able to use State and Federal Historic Tax Credits. These incentive programs were critical in completing development funding to deliver one of Lawrence’s most significant community assets in decades.
Opened in the fall of 2013, Loft Five50 was an immediate success with all 75 units occupied within months. Its enthusiastic reception led the project team to redevelop four additional Malden Mills structures into Loft Five50 Phase Two, a 130,000-square-foot, 62-unit affordable apartment complex with a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts intended for families. The 137 units of the full Loft Five50 complex are now zoned to adhere to mixed-income needs based upon Area Median Income (AMI). With poverty rates in Lawrence at three times the state average, Winn Development reserved 15 units for those with incomes at or below 30 percent of AMI and 119 units for residents at or below 60 percent of the AMI. Not surprisingly, Phase Two reached 100 percent occupancy only four months after opening.
Indistinguishable from the outside, phases one and two are connected via a firewall, and residents share amenities like a 1,500-square-foot community room with kitchen and entertainment, business center, fitness suite, theater room, lounge and indoor playroom. All of these spaces take creative advantage of underutilized square footage within the old mill buildings; the large community room, for instance, originally housed part of the power plant for the mill facility.
Just as important, Loft Five50 is not an isolated complex. It’s an integral part of the Lawrence community. The grounds provide a connection to the surrounding city and constitute an important element of the design, too. Outside, residents can enjoy a landscaped and newly expanded courtyard and central patio. Adjacent to the Spicket River, Loft Five50 also offers easy pedestrian access to local amenities via the river walkway. In fact, the Spicket River Greenway stretches nearly 4 miles to schools, stores, parks and commuter hubs. Like Loft Five50 itself, the Greenway has the potential to contribute meaningfully to Lawrence’s revitalization as a desirable place to live. As part of the mills’ redevelopment, the project team also contributed to the planning of this important community asset. Within Loft Five50, the amenity spaces are also used to provide crucial local services. For example, residents can take courses on retirement preparation, safe driving practices and identity theft protection, as well as attend seminars for first-time homebuyers.
Loft Five50 is a significant show of faith in the future of Lawrence, and the project is expected to encourage further investment in the city. According to Chrystal Kornegay, Massachusetts undersecretary of Housing and Community Development, “Projects, such as Loft Five50, that offer affordable and stable housing are important for neighborhood revitalization, creating strong communities and empowering working families.”
Director of Business & Economic Development for the city of Lawrence Abel Vargas noted at the opening of Loft Five50 Phase Two that the project “adds vitality of new residents and businesses to the city and enhances our competitive position for additional investment over the long term.”
Indeed, local neighborhoods are now improving. Spurred by Loft Five50, smaller developments are sprouting up nearby, reversing years of misguided revitalization efforts in Lawrence. The central business district has become a place for entrepreneurship with a recent increase in small businesses opened by members of the Spanish-speaking immigrant population. Just as promising, land within the downtown area recently was sold to Northern Essex Community College.
Residents of cities like Lawrence deserve the chance to feel pride of place, and reimagining local landmarks is one of the most powerful and tangible ways to anchor that feeling. Loft Five50 is proof positive that creative thinking, strong partnerships and dedicated stewardship can turn our cities’ historic resources into assets for the present and future. Why should we settle for anything less?
Retrofit Team
Developer: WinnDevelopment, Boston
Architect: The Architectural Team Inc. (TAT), Chelsea, Mass.
Historic Consultant: Epsilon Associates, Maynard, Mass.
Interiors: Ideal Design, Bradford, Mass.
General Contractor: KeithConstruction, Stoughton, Mass.
Structural Engineer: Odeh Engineers Inc., North Providence, R.I.
Civil Engineer: VHB, Watertown, Mass.
M/E/P and FEP Engineer: Petersen Engineering Inc., Portsmouth, N.H.
Environmental Engineer: Loureiro Engineering Assoc. Inc., Merrimack, N.H.
Lighting Installation: Wayne J. Griffin Electric Inc., Holliston, Mass.
Lighting Distributor: Yale Electric, Dorchester, Mass.
Materials
Entrance canopy lettering: Expose Signs and Graphics
Windows: Universal Window, Series 600
Clock-tower Lighting: Phillips Lighting, eW Graze Powercore LED
Community Room Pendant Lighting: Metalumen Round R6A
Community Room and Model Unit Track Lighting: Nora Lighting, NT-300 series
Community Room Flooring: Acacia Valley ceramic tile planks
Model Unit Flooring: Pacific Timbers, Luxury Vinyl Plank
Photos: Gregg Shupe and Nora Lighting