Magazine Commons Housing

MHA, Inc

New Construction

Springfield, MA

When the Mental Health Association (MHA) purchased a vacant urban lot adjacent to their corporate headquarters that was a brownfield site they had a vision of developing a campus that represented the variety of services they provide.

The Magazine Commons Housing project was completed that re-established much needed affordable housing for persons with physical and mental disabilities, replacing the former housing that was destroyed by the June 1, 2011 tornado that ripped through the city of Springfield.

The design included 14 one-bedroom apartment units, multi-purpose gathering spaces and staff offices. Located in the historic McKnight district of Springfield, which contains numerous victorian styled houses the design was completed to compliment the historic character of the district.

As an urban brownfield site, the soils were unstable and not suitable for standard foundations. A unique system of geo-piers was implemented to stabilize the ground and allow for the construction of the new building. This included core drilling deep holes every five feet throughout the entire site and filling them with a stone / mortar slurry mix.

This project was completed at Studio One, Inc Architects

The project brought a revitalization to an underdeveloped area of the city. The added housing has helped to stabalize the area and provider safe housing for persons with disabilities.