zoning + land use
Walk-to-a-Park for Older Adults Making a Neighborhood Illegal
housing
Salem, MA Medford, MA
transit planning
QBNR Route Profiles QBNR GAR Inserts New Queens Bus Map Toronto Bike-to-School

about  


Remond Green

2021 Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Affordable Housing Development Competition
Honorary Mention



2022


The Preservation of Affordable Housing site in Salem stands as a vital anchor of affordability. Perched atop a hill with views of the harbor, the three-building complex provides 409 income-restricted units that serve more than 680 residents. The community—a mix of families and seniors—embodies an early example of intergenerational housing. Yet, as with many developments from the 1970s, efforts to maximize affordability often came at the expense of design quality and community connectivity. The two ten-story Salem Heights towers and the six-story Fairweather building are austere and lack street-level activation. The site’s steep topography isolates it from surrounding neighborhoods, while the absence of pathways further separates the buildings from one another.

Within this context, the proposed Remond Green development introduces 79 new 100% affordable units on the hill between Salem Heights and Fairweather. Designed to serve as a crossroads for the community, Remond Green complements the existing intergenerational population and adds a spacious new community center shared by all four buildings. A central breezeway bisecting the development invites movement across the site and culminates in a new shared open space, creating opportunities for informal connection among residents and transforming an area currently dominated by parking lots and property lines into a cohesive neighborhood. The new community center will serve as the social and functional heart of this space.

Beyond promoting physical mobility, the project also seeks to enhance economic mobility and inclusivity. Partnerships with local higher education institutions will provide residents access to a well-equipped co-learning space offering ESL classes, workforce training, and college-level courses. A grant sponsored by a local healthcare center will fund an on-site subsidized daycare center accessible to all residents of Remond Green, Salem Heights, and Fairweather.

Over the fifty years since Salem Heights and Fairweather were built, the understanding of community development has evolved significantly. Affordability is now recognized as just one component of a larger framework for equitable and livable neighborhoods. In this light, the investment in Remond Green represents not only an opportunity to add 79 units of affordable housing, but also a chance to strengthen the social fabric and quality of life for the existing community.  




Client: Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)

Tools: GIS, R



Scope (exceprt):

“Remond Green is designed to serve the needs of existing affordable housing residents at Salem Heights and Fairweather who are isolated from nearby green spaces, downtown commercial centers, transportation, and other services. By expanding the on-site walking and biking paths and connecting them to these adjacent developments and public transit, Remond Green builds a walkable neighborhood that integrates open space and capitalizes on the site’s natural beauty.”