PLATINUM | Alden Park
Philadelphia, Pa.
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Photography by Marc Harary
Architect/Designer | Barton Partners
Builder | Briarwood Construction
Developer | L3C Capital
Design Statement | Alden Park is a residential apartment community, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The six 10- to 13-story brick buildings, constructed in the 1920s, sit adjacent to Philadelphia’s Wissahickon Valley Park, adding to the existing luxurious amenities of the community. Purchased in 2015, historic tax credits were obtained to assist in the careful and historically accurate exterior restoration of all the buildings.
The dilapidated state of much of the brick and cast stone proved particularly challenging, and had to be rebuilt in many locations. The 7,500+ original windows had frames embedded into the masonry and needed to be carefully cut out and replaced with custom, historically detailed thermal windows; nearly all windows were replaced while the units were occupied.
Within the 760 units, the architects strategically modified the compartmentalized original designs to create a more modern, open feel, along with updated contemporary finishes. While updating original amenities, such as the indoor pool, fitness center, and common areas, a new outdoor pool and dog park were incorporated into the historic site. This renovation also vastly improved handicapped accessibility throughout the hilly site and within all buildings.FROM THE JUDGES
Judges’ Comments | The restoration of the original detailing is magic—you don’t even see half of the work that went into it.
GOLD | Abbey Road
Sherborn, Mass.
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Photography by Charlie Abrahams | Bill Burke
Architect/Designer | Andrew P Consigli AIA
Builder | Rubicon Builders
Developer | Civico Development/Fenix Partners
Interior Merchandiser | Boston Modern Staging
Land Planner | Andrew P Consigli AIA
Landscape Architect/Designer | Wesley Wirth
Interior Designer | Andrew P Consigli AIA
Design Statement | The site and existing buildings, rich in history, informed the architecture of the newly constructed homes at Abbey Road. The Dowse Memorial Building, built in 1914, originally housed Sherborn’s library. The library has been restored and repurposed into a single-family home.
The library exterior restoration included repointing of the entire brick façade, removal and restoration of the slate roof and copper flashing, and removal and replication of copper gutters and downspouts. The complete gut renovation of the interior included new heating and cooling systems, waterproofing of the existing basement, and restoration of the existing barrel vault ceiling, new aluminum clad windows, and spray foam insulation of exterior walls and ceilings.
The house sitting beside the Dowse Library, originally named the Coolidge House, was a remarkable example of Edwardian architecture. After much debate and evaluation of the failing existing envelope and stone foundation, it was determined that it needed to be demolished. A near-exact replica of the exterior was rebuilt on a new foundation, with a three-coat stucco façade and historically accurate detailing. The inside became two new townhomes with private elevator access.
SILVER | Cooke Street
Edgartown, Mass.
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Photography by Greg Premru Photography
Architect/Designer | Patrick Ahearn Architects
Builder | Rosbeck Builders Corp.
Design Statement | In the historic district of Edgartown on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, this property includes the restoration/renovation of an original 1700s antique Cape house, the restoration of a small barn reimagined as a pool cabana, and the new construction of a carriage house. The restoration began with raising the house, creating a finished basement, with theater, wine cellar, and bar.
Setting the floor joists into the foundation allowed for an increase in ceiling height. The team preserved the historic elements that define the full Cape style. At the rear of the house, a circa-1909, one-story addition was removed and replaced with a new two-story wing that is more historically accurate and complements the scale of the original 1700s Cape house.
The two front rooms were preserved, as well as their original intended use as an office and guest bedroom; the stairs were relocated to open the entry foyer and to create a spine leading through the remainder of the home to the new wing designed with an open floorplan. The new wing offers a fold-away Nana Wall, which opens out onto a new bluestone, terraced pool area connecting the primary gathering areas to the central outdoor living space.
