Massachusetts Mill Begins New Chapter

The oldest mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, has been reimagined into 86 units of mixed-income housing. 

Designed by The Architectural Team (TAT) for owner and manager WinnDevelopment, Stone Mill Lofts features 69 affordable and 17 market-rate units in one of the region’s most energy-efficient buildings.

Stone Mill’s new all-electric, fossil fuel-free design is expected to use 46% less energy and emit 33% fewer greenhouse gases than a typical gas-fired multifamily structure. The rehabilitation includes new high-performing insulation and triple-glazed replacement windows, allowing the 178-year-old industrial building to become a 21st-century housing model for the future.

The project was about more than creating a sustainable building. TAT worked to design a livable community with modern amenities such as a fitness center, a playroom, work-from-home pods, and more, with a touch of history. In the resident lounge, TAT created a window that looks onto one of the mill’s original turbines. Additionally, historic doors were preserved and reused, while structural columns, I-beams, and decking were left exposed to maintain the building’s industrial aesthetic.

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Ed Wonsek

Ed Wonsek

Ed Wonsek

Ed Wonsek

Ed Wonsek

“Stone Mill Lofts shows what’s possible with the correct partnerships and with the support of local, state, and federal funding,” says. Scott E. Maenpaa, project manager at TAT. “Together, the group was focused on the same goal of preserving a building that’s an anchor for the community, providing much-needed affordable housing, being sustainable, and looking forward to the future.”

To finance the project, WinnDevelopment pulled together multiple sources, including utilizing $2.8 million in funds from a massive lawsuit settlement following the Columbia Gas line explosions, which caused over 80 fires in the Merrimack Valley region in 2018.