ISSUE 2: 2014
now+next A 360 degree view from the hilltop Arlington 360—a new multifamily community in Arlington, Mass.—ushers in a renewed vibe to the once defunct site formerly the Symmes Hospital campus. After a decade of development delays, today, it offers residents beautifully designed homes, plentiful amenities, and commanding views of the Boston skyline.
SEAL THE DEAL : WHY BECOME A REGISTERED ARCHITECT?
Over the past thirty years, the process of becoming a licensed architect has become steadily more complicated, more expensive, and more difficult to maintain. An NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) report calculated the inflation-adjusted IDP cumulative costs in 1983 as $270 compared with $762 in 2013 and the Architectural Registration Exam costs as $637 compared with $1,470. Application fees in inflation-adjusted numbers jumped from $340 in 1980 to $1,500 in 2012. But the cost of the process in terms of fees pales in comparison to the hassle of the process. In its present form the IDP experience seems designed not so much to ensure the proper training of intern architects as to discourage them from attempting it at all. If so, the NCARB seems to be doing a good job of it. Data from the CPS (Current Population Survey) conducted by the US Census Bureau showed a 35% decline in the number of US architects between 2004 and 2011 while the OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a decline of 33% between 2008 and 20012. In 2005, even before the economic crisis, a resolution was presented at the national AIA convention to address the issue of the decreasing number of people obtaining licenses to practice architecture. And then of course, there is the cost of annual fees to maintain registration, the nuisance of maintaining those never-ending Continuing Education Credits, the cost of seminars and monograms, not to mention the weight gain associated with all those Lunch-and-Learns. All for a little round seal. Is it worth it? You spent at least five years studying for this. Perhaps you argued with your parents that becoming a doctor would take even longer, and require just as many all-nighters, at least through residency. You chose this profession for reasons that someone who sells insurance cannot claim and perhaps cannot imagine. You are an architect, and even though there are folks out there calling themselves “software architects” and the like you are a real architect; however in every state in the union you cannot legally call yourself one unless you are licensed to be one. You will find that some question of legitimacy will linger in a corner of your mind until you get it. Maybe it shouldn’t make a difference, but it will. And once you do get that little round seal you will find it makes a difference to other people, and most of all to yourself.
Michael E. Liu, AIA, NCARB, Vice President & Principal mliu@architecturalteam.com Michael Liu has been with the firm for 33 years, and is responsible for overseeing design as well as the firm’s recruitment efforts. He holds registrations in multiple states and has been a registered architect in Massachusetts since 1984.
RECOGNITION
With the assistance of Historic Tax Credits, Winn Development and TAT completed the historic adaptive reuse of numerous mill buildings located on the former Boott Mill Complex in Lowell, Mass., into a mixed-use/ mixed-income multifamily community.
Historic Tax Credits : Preserving Legacies For many gateway cities in the Northeast, shuttered factories and mills are reminders of our country’s past—a time when they represented a unifying core of a community. However, when once thriving businesses become abandoned structures, standing derelict and looming over the community they once served, it reminds us of the loss of our industrial heritage, and also of architecturally significant buildings. The same is true for churches, schools or any historic building serving a community. Because of the legacy they carry, these buildings are not so easily replaced. Preserving our architectural heritage—giving regions and neighborhoods their distinct flavors—and preserving the historic building’s utility for new uses can be a powerful, meaningful expression of a community’s ties to its past and an important catalyst for the future. Bob Verrier, FAIA, co-founder and managing principal, explains how these preservation endeavors are achieved in his recent article, “Designing to Preserve a Legacy”, in the July issue of Interiors & Sources magazine. “The first and most important step in the historic preservation and adaptive reuse process is to acquire designation of the proposed structure on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, a registry curated by the National Parks Service. As the most crucial requirement for the Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) eligibility, landmark status makes adaptive reuse economically competitive, even advantageous, when compared to new construction. At The Architectural Team, we have successfully adapted more than 250 iconic buildings to new uses to date, thanks to the HTC, which covers 20 percent of qualifying rehabilitation expenses and makes our track record possible.” “We have experienced the benefits of historic tax credits in revitalizing cities,” adds Verrier. “Without the credits we all risk losing an important part of our national identity and diversity.” To read the full article, please visit www.architecturalteam.com/news.
Residences at Wingate, Needham, MA, received the 2014 Multifamily Executive News - Design Award for Senior Housing. The firm designed the new 91 unit assisted living / independent living / memory care community as part of a continuing care campus.
Development team: Wingate Healthcare and Callahan Construction Photos by Warren Jagger
Valley Brook Village, Lyons, NJ, has been recognized by numerous organizations for its achievement in creating permanent supportive housing for homeless U.S. Veterans to include: National Coalition of Homeless Veterans & Home Depot’s Peter Dougherty - Grand Prize Award for Excellence in Supportive Housing Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition - 20th Annual Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award for the most outstanding Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties nationally - Honorable Mention in the Rural Housing category Affordable Housing Finance Magazine - 10th Annual Readers’ Choice Award - Finalist for Nation’s Best Development in 2013-2014 in the “Special Needs” Category.
Development team: Peabody Properties, Inc. and Windover Construction Photo by Shelly Harrison
360 view from the o
hilltop
Master-planned and designed by The Architectural Team (TAT), the innovative lifestyle development Arlington 360, in Arlington, Mass., transformed the once defunct Symmes Hospital campus into a new bustling market-rate multifamily community. Given its urban neighborhood vibe, vibrant town center, access to the Arlington bike path, and its close proximity to downtown Boston—Arlington 360 experienced quick market absorption with a current leased percentage of 96% as of August 2014, after just 8 months from all units being delivered for occupancy. Developed by Virginia-based Jefferson Apartment Group (JAG) and Upton + Partners of Newton, Mass., the design by TAT has garnered praise from neighbors, town officials, and urban design experts alike for its site response, village-like architectural statement and overall neighborhood sensibility. From its central green and the interpretive public parks that recount the history of the site, the 18-acre community emanates a feeling of accessibility, familiarity and classic American urbanism. Mixing traditional and contemporary elements, the development offers 164 market-rate apartments and 12 for-sale townhomes, along with a nearby assisted-living facility, which are all interconnected by ample green space. NEW MODEL BASED ON TIMELESS IDEALS According to Ed Bradford, AIA, LEED AP, project architect and associate, the visual image and identity of Arlington 360 is linked closely to the area’s history.
Developers: Jefferson Apartment Group and Upton + Partners Contractor: NEI General Contracting Landscape: Radner Design Associates, Inc. Photographer: Ed Wonsek
“In terms of the architecture, this community is designed to have a very neighborly feel, in part by echoing the historical styles found in New England,” Bradford explains. “An important feature of the design is the way in which the buildings are oriented and massed to allow for maximum sunlight exposure and panoramic views of Boston from the hilltop. The tallest two four-story midrise buildings are located toward the center of the site, and then the structures taper down at the perimeter to two- and three-story townhome buildings.” This carefully considered massing, along with the splayed residential wings, offer commanding views of Boston from all floors, ample direct sunlight, and maintains a density in line with the
existing scale of Arlington’s neighborhoods, which are primarily two to three stories tall. The buildings feature brick finishes and painted clapboard, interesting roofscapes, as well as a sense of a hill town structure akin to some new village clusters in Northern Europe. “With our extensive experience in multifamily developments, we focused on delivering a high-quality luxury rental community that will be managed for the benefit of the residents,” says Sandi Silk, project director, JAG. Arlington 360 offers a vast array of resident amenities including a well-appointed lounge with kitchen, game/billiards area and media room, a fitness center, two cyber-cafés, an outdoor pool, sport court, playground, a community garden, in addition to garage and surface parking. THREE TIMES A CHARM Recognizing the economic viability of the Symmes site, in 2001 the town of Arlington acquired the property for $7.1M via a debt override. Later in 2003, the town issued a Request for Proposals to developers for its future use. For more than a decade, before its current ownership, the site faced a series of delays under two different development teams; more recently effected by the economic downturn in 2008. TAT’s interest and involvement has spanned all three developers. “We are very happy to see this community’s vision come to fruition,” says Mike Binette, AIA, principal. “This demonstrates not only what we can collectively do to create vibrant, viable communities through smart planning and local engagement, but it also provides a blueprint for reactivating large swaths of dormant public land left by hospitals, schools, and other public structures that simply and unfortunately have become obsolete.”
The complex provides a vibrant mix of market-rate rental apartments in two midrise buildings and townhomes, for-sale townhomes, and ample resident amenities including outdoor recreational space and new vista parks with commanding views of Boston’s skyline.
6 Design Trends Shaping Residential Amenity Space In today’s competitive rental market, clients rely on the expertise of the firm’s interior design team to create well-appointed communal space and unique amenities to attract key target demographic markets and to reinforce and strengthen their brand. To ensure the client’s vision informs the design concept, use, and final aesthetic of the space, our designers recommend several strategies to create and extend the resident experience into a cohesive and successful strategy for the client. Optimizing the outdoors: From elegant fire pits, resort-style lounge furniture to flat screen televisions, beautifully appointed outdoor areas have become a seamless extension of the indoor space and provide residents with an upscale lifestyle hotel-like environment. Conditioning and wellness: Allocating additional square footage within traditional weight and cardio fitness rooms to accommodate a choice of programs such as yoga, Pilates and TRX, allows for a range of convenient, on-site fitness activities that suits individual conditioning needs. Pampering pets: Given the growing trend of pet-friendly buildings and hotels, offering pet spas and grooming facilities creates good will with residents.
Building community: Catering kitchens are becoming a completive advantage for fashionable residential developments, featuring high-end extras such as Wolf ranges, large stone surface islands and expansive gathering tables intended for cooking classes and gourmet dinner parties. Adapting to new technology: By forfeiting outdated space such as computer and theatre rooms, designers are able to provide additional seating and flex areas with WiFi access as well as gaming centers. Creating first impressions: Replacing the traditional leasing office with “flex space” allows agents to meet with prospective renters in a more casual setting and allows square footage for other resident amenities.
Led by TAT’s Interior Design Director, Melanie Conant, NCIDQ, LEED GA, examples of the team’s current multifamily residential work includes: Avalon Marlborough; Avalon Framingham; Avalon Great Neck, NJ; Harbor Place, Haverhill; Albany Tower at Northampton Square, Boston; and Brookside Square, West Concord.
PRESS Senior Living Comes of Age Commercial Building Products May 2014 TAT senior project manager, Andrew Stebbins, and Interior Design Director, Melanie Conant discuss designing optimum senior healthcare communities. To read the full article and other recent firm news, please visit: www.architecturalteam.com/news.
EVENTS Rendering by The Architectural Team | Village on the Waterfront (Phase One - 200 units) in Providence, RI currently in design development.
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N E W S U P D AT E S O N S E L E C T TAT P R O J E C T S
Village on the Waterfront Providence, RI Client: Village on the Waterfront, LLC | Contractor: TBD
The firm is currently designing a new 25-acre mixed-use / residential waterfront community located along what will be a new mile-long public roadway adjacent to the Providence River. Formerly the site of a Chevron light petroleum storage facility, it is currently undergoing extensive remediation by Chevron, who entered into a cooperative agreement Providence Realty Investments to redevelop the site. The new development to be completed in five phases will provide 600 condominiums, townhomes and apartments, ten-percent of which will be dedicated as affordable; 37,000 square feet of commercial/office/retail space; private and public parking; and public access to new parks, boardwalks, boat moorings, and an extended regional bike path and kayak launch facility.
Recently completed projects include: 375 Newbury Street, Boston, MA - a new development for retailer Room & Board; Pilot Grove Apartments, Stow, MA - a new affordable multifamily community; Cotton Mill Square Apartments, Nashua, NH the historic adaptive reuse of a former mill into residential apartments; Voke Lofts, Worcester, MA - the historic adaptive reuse of a former vocational school into a mixed-income multifamily community; Watertown Mews, Watertown, MA - phase two of a new market-rate multifamily community; Briarcliff Summit Apartments, Atlanta, GA - the historic rehabilitation and restoration of an affordable senior housing property; and DCU Bank, Burlington, MA. Recent groundbreakings for the firm include: Harbor Place, Haverhill, MA - a new mixed-use/residential waterfront development; Lakeshore Center, Bridgewater, MA - a new mixed-income multifamily community.
Brookside Square W. Concord, MA Client: Oaktree FX Development | Contractor: Tocci Building Companies
Located adjacent to conservation land and a new commuter rail station, the firm is designing the redevelopment of an old industrial parcel into a new mixed-use / mixed-income multifamily complex with 36,000 square feet of commercial space and 74 units; 3,000 square feet is designated as affordable commercial space and eight affordable apartments. The site is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2015.
375 Newbury Street | Photo by Gustav Hoiland
Nockege River Mills
TEAM
Fitchburg, MA Client: WinnDevelopment | Contractor: Colantonio, Inc.
The firm welcomes new hires to the architectural staff: Michael Breau, Nick Gregsak, Tessa Millard, Andrew Sering, and Andre Vega, AIA, LEED AP.
Formerly known as the Fitchburg Yarn Mill, the firm is designing its historic adaptive reuse into 96 units of mixed-income multifamily housing offering one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, resident amenities and outdoor common and recreational areas along the banks of the Nashua River. Careful to ensure its historic architectural integrity, original features such as columns, beams, decking, masonry walls, wood stairs, and a 300-plus foot chimney will be rehabilitated and incorporated as design and structural elements throughout the building.
Congratulations to Jay Bradley, AIA, LEED AP, on becoming a Registered Architect in Massachusetts.
For more information, please contact Valerie Capone at 617.889.4402. To subscribe to an electronic version of tat|now+next, please visit www.architecturalteam.com and click on the News section. Copyright ©2014. 50 Commandant’s Way at Admiral’s Hill Chelsea MA 02150 T 617.889.4402 F 617.884.4329 www.architecturalteam.com
+fyi 75%
of the
18-acre site is dedicated to open space.
2
new vista parks named in honor of the Hospital founder’s daughter Hattie Symmes and former nurse Nora A. Brown. The new Assisted Living Facility continues the history of the medical use of the site.
100-year