1943 Dot Ave Featured in Multifamily Executive Magazine
1943 Dot Ave Featured in Multifamily Executive Magazine
Our Dot Ave project is in the news again! Read an excerpt of the article, "Architect Thinks Outside the Box on Boston Workforce Project" below.
This great project is the result of a successful collaboration between our team at ThoughtCraft, the developer, Peregrine Group, and the general contractor, Bald Hill Builders.
Architect Thinks Outside the Box on Boston Workforce Project
Utilizing structural insulated panels helped speed up the construction time of 1943 Dot Ave.
By Christine Serlin
While Boston is undergoing an extreme building boom, with an influx of luxury housing, ThoughtCraft Architects and real estate firm Peregrine Group set out to create a transit-oriented, workforce housing development in Dorchester.
One of the challenges in developing workforce housing, especially during a building boom, is navigating the skyrocketing cost to acquire land, says Chris Johns, founding partner of ThoughtCraft Architects.
“What we’re trying to do is convince developers to build smaller units. Density is economically and environmentally beneficial,” he says. “The smaller the unit, the higher the rent per square foot. Build the same building, but squeeze in a few more units; this creates more affordability. And if you can build near public transportation, the parking demand can be reduced. That’s a way you can make workforce housing feasible.”
The partners did just that. When the developer approached ThoughtCraft Architects about its 1943 Dot Ave project, it had wanted 45 to 55 units. But with smaller units and a number of studio apartments, the team was able to achieve 64 units on an infill site next to public transit. “It doesn’t have to have high-end finishes and monster units,” Johns says. “If you’re building smart, nicely planned, functional units with a decent amount of storage and maximized natural light in a good location, I feel like that’s the key.”
The architect also explored alternative construction options to save the developer time as well as boost the building’s energy performance.
The architect had been looking at structural insulated panels, or SIPs, for a long time but hadn’t seen them utilized in the Boston market previously at this scale. SIPs consist of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings, typically oriented strand board, and are manufactured under factory-controlled conditions.
Continue reading the article: https://www.multifamilyexecutive.com/design-development/architect-thinks-outside-the-box-on-boston-workforce-project_o