Friday, July 22, 2016

Project Spotlight - Townsend Woods Senior Housing

Project Spotlight – Townsend Woods Senior Housing
Location: Townsend, MA
Client: RCAP Solutions
Construction Completed: 2011

Townsend Woods is a 36 Unit, HUD Section 202 Senior Housing facility located in Townsend, MA. Located on the property behind the existing Atwood Acres Senior Housing the projects are linked together to allow for shared services and access to outdoor passive recreation – including a network of hiking trails maintained by the local boy scout troupes.

The design of this building was so efficient, the contract documents so complete and the construction so smooth that almost the entire amount of the owner’s contingency funding was able to be used to obtain a LEED-H certification for the building. Townsend Woods became the first HUD Section 202 Senior Housing building in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to obtain a LEED-H certification. Minimal changes were incorporated to obtain the LEED-H certification as Studio One, Inc strives to make every building we design as energy efficient has possible. The building is also certified as a 5-Star Energy Star Rated project.

The 36, one bedroom units gave much needed affordable housing to seniors in the area, allowing for independent living close to friends and family. The building features three community rooms, one of which was outfitted as a pool hall, a beauty parlor for haircuts, and a office for visiting medical practitioners. Short corridors and centralized services minimize walking distances for the senior residences and the apartment units feature numerous senior friendly details that have been refined by Studio One, Inc.

This was all completed for a construction budget that was less than $150 / square foot.