High-Profile: November 2026 | Page 20

20 High-Profile: Multi-Residential

November 2026

Templeton, MA – MPZ Development LLC and Capstone Communities LLC celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Baldwinville School Apartments in Templeton on Oct. 20. The event marked the official delivery of Baldwinville School Apartments, the first multifamily housing project delivered in the Town of Templeton in more than 25 years, providing much-needed mixedincome housing to the local community.

Baldwinville School Apartments has transformed the historic Baldwinville Elementary School into 54 rental apartments, 49 of which are affordable for households earning at or below 30 % to 60 % of the Area Median Income. The apartments are available in several layouts and sizes, including loft, studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and threebedroom, many of which are rehabilitated from the original elementary school. The first residents began moving in early October.

Designed by ICON Architecture, the project revitalized the historic school and introduced a new addition that will be certified under Enterprise Green Communities and Passive House standards. Callahan Construction Managers served as general contractor, and Peabody Properties manages the community.

The affordable housing lottery

( l-r): Senator Peter Durant; Templeton Select Board Member Candace Graves; Templeton Select Board Vice Chair Timothy Toth; Liz Hibbard, National Equity Fund; Rick Muraida, Rockland Trust; Matt Zahler, MPZ Development; Jason Korb, Capstone Communities; Anne Gobi, Director of Rural Affairs; Dottie Fulginiti, MassDevelopment / Photo by Patrick Rogers Photography

attracted more than 900 applicants, reflecting strong demand for housing in the area. On-site amenities include an outdoor courtyard and community green space, children’ s playground, fitness center, electric-vehicle charging stations, in-building laundry, and a community walking trail leading to an overlook of the Otter River.

Capstone and MPZ secured financing from both public and private partners. Financing was provided by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, Rockland Trust, National Equity Fund, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, The Life Initiative, and Dorfman Capital. Capstone and MPZ

also were awarded $ 1.924 million for Baldwinville School Apartments through the Community Preservation Act via Templeton’ s Community Preservation Committee, as well as $ 750,000 through the Underutilized Properties Program via the Commonwealth’ s Community One Stop for Growth awards, administered by MassDevelopment.

“ For generations, the Baldwinville School was a place of learning and connection. Today, it begins a new chapter as a place to call home,” said Jason Korb, principal of Capstone Communities, and Mathieu P. Zahler, principal of MPZ Development.“ Baldwinville School Apartments preserves an important part of Templeton’ s history while creating much-needed affordable homes where residents can build their futures. This milestone reflects years of collaboration and the commitment of our local and state partners. We are proud to welcome residents whose lives and experiences will shape this community for years to come.”

“ We are pleased to celebrate the opening of the Baldwinville School Apartments and are especially glad that many Templeton residents will be able to call it home,” said Jeffrey Bennett, chair of the Templeton Select Board.“ This project preserves an important part of our Town’ s history while providing new opportunities for local residents to remain in the community they know and love. On behalf of the Templeton Select Board, we thank everyone who helped bring this project to life.”

“ A historic former elementary school building has been revitalized and more than 50 new apartments have been created in Templeton through this forward-thinking project by Capstone Communities and MPZ Development,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal.“ MassDevelopment proudly supported the Baldwinville School Apartments with a $ 750,000 grant from the Underutilized Properties Program and an approximately

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Excerpted from an announcement by WinnCompanies

Worcester, MA – WinnCompanies recently celebrated the completion of a $ 51 million development that delivered 80 affordable, energy-efficient apartment homes for adults 55 and older in Worcester. Gov. Maura Healey and city officials joined WinnCompanies executives Oct. 21 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at The Residences on Lincoln Square.

The development transformed the historic Worcester Boys Club building into 16 apartments and community spaces, while adding a new five-story building with 64 apartments.

The fully leased community includes 19 studios, 46 one-bedroom apartments and 15 two-bedroom apartments. All units are income-restricted, with 12 reserved for households earning up to 30 % of area median income. Eleven apartments serve residents with disabilities.

“ In one of the state’ s most essential housing markets, the Residences on Lincoln Square provides the senior population of the Worcester area a longterm home of outstanding quality and convenience,” said WinnCompanies CEO Gilbert Winn.“ Reviving this iconic building has been a city priority for two decades. An innovative development plan and the fantastic support of our public and

www. high-profile. com

Residences on Lincoln Square ribbon cutting / Photo courtesy of WinnCompanies private partners finally made it happen.”

Historic Preservation Meets Energy Efficiency

Originally built in 1930, the four-story Boys Club building later served as Worcester Vocational High School before becoming vacant in 2006. The renovation preserved historic architectural features while incorporating high-performance HVAC systems, replica windows, accessibility improvements and modern community spaces. The former gymnasium was converted into a fitness center and pickleball court.

The adjacent 61,298sf apartment building was constructed to Passive House Institute U. S.( Phius) standards. The all-electric building features triplepane windows, continuous insulation, high-efficiency heat pumps, energy recovery ventilation, LED lighting and

Aerial view of The Residences on Lincoln Square / Photo courtesy of WinnCompanies

ENERGY STAR appliances.

A glass walkway connects the buildings, which share a lobby, resident lounge, fitness center and management offices. Outdoor amenities include a garden, patio and pergola. The development also provides bicycle parking and 21 vehicle parking spaces, including

14 for electric vehicles. Economic Impact and Project Team

The development generated an estimated $ 39.8 million in direct economic impact and created 504 direct and indirect jobs. More than $ 14.8 million in contracts were awarded to qualified minority- and women-owned business enterprises, representing nearly 40 % of subcontracted work.

WinnCompanies executive vice president Michael O’ Brien and WinnDevelopment senior vice president Andrew Colbert oversaw the project.

F. W. Madigan Company of Worcester served as design-builder, with Maugel DeStefano Architects of Harvard, Mass., as architect. The project team included Petersen Engineering, MEP engineer; Public Archaeology Laboratory, historic consultant; VHB, civil engineer and landscape architect; WSP, structural engineer; and Building Evolution Corporation and Sustainable Comfort Inc., Passive House consultants.

The development completes a 164- unit housing campus that includes WinnCompanies’ 84-unit Voke Lofts community, which opened in 2013.

Read the full article on High-Profile’ s website: https:// www. high-profile. com / winn-completes-51m-residences-onlincoln-square /