| Our Impact |
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Smart Growth and Sustainability |
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Across New England and the nation, middle-class workers are being priced out of metropolitan housing markets and finding their way into ever-sprawling suburbs. Adaptive reuse presents an alternative to this development pattern by creating attractive and affordable housing out of existing urban resources, relieving some of the pressure on undeveloped land and our environment. It is an inherently sustainable and green development model-recycling writ large. By reusing the wealth of historic structures in our former mill towns, we conserve their embodied energy, ultimately consuming less overall. The capacity for density in these large buildings meets the demand for more housing without gobbling up greenfields.
Both Washington Mills Building No 1 and the Hamilton Crossing are built on this smart growth, sustainable model. They are located between their respective MBTA Commuter Rail stations and the city's downtown area. Residents and tenants will have just a short walk or even shorter bike ride to catch the train into Boston for work. They are also only a few blocks away from the restaurants and retail shops of downtown. These projects will enhance the walkability of their neighborhoods by putting more feet on the street, and more consumers means more economic growth for merchants downtown. The projects also provide a greatly needed housing choice that is both affordable and urban.
These communities have well built, thoughtfully designed historic structures and urban centers already connected to metropolitan areas. Using these existing resources is the sustainable way to meet the demands of the future. |
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