Lathrop Retirement Community

Existing Conditions

Lathrop Retirement Community’s 175-acre property is made up of two bordering parcels that sit on either side of the Northampton-Easthampton town line; the smaller, fifty-acre parcel is in the town of Northampton, and the larger, 125-acre parcel is in the town of Easthampton. The property is mostly undeveloped with only 35 acres currently built upon.

The Easthampton Inn, commonly called “The Inn,” is the center of campus with 51 units of supported living and numerous shared facilities. The remainder of residents live in 61 townhomes, grouped into in five clusters each named after a type of berry.

The undeveloped portion of Lathrop contains a rich array of ecosystems. Much of the property is wetland, and this, combined with varying topography and a diversity of land cover types, creates a landscape with a high amount of biodiversity. The land is a tremendous source of pride for the community, as well as one of its greatest resources.

Land Conservation Committee

The ecological richness of the landscape can be partially attributed to the residents of Lathrop who have used their voices, hands, and financial resources to improve the environmental health of the land.

In 2013, several residents formed the Land Conservation Committee, which now has 31 members. Some of the sub-committees include the tree planting work group, the eliminate all toxins group, the community garden group, and the landscape support committee.

Established pollinator gardens

Residents bird watching

The community garden

Project Steering Committee

The Project Steering Committee is made up of five members of the Land Conservation Committee, Lathrop’s Marketing Director, and Lathrop’s Executive Director. The Steering Committee has served to articulate the goals of this landscape master plan; advocate for the interests of other Lathrop residents; share members’ understanding and opinions of the current landscape; and provide guidance through the design process.

Goals

• Improve ecological resilience and wildlife habitat. • Increase native plant cover. • Decrease energy use and carbon emissions of homes and land maintenance through landscape interventions. • Sustain and increase residents’ use and enjoyment of Lathrop’s land. • Identify land appropriate for food production.