ThirtyOne Elm, a recently completed residential conversion in Massachusetts, was a former hotel and office building that underwent major transformation. This historic landmark offers 74 mixed-income housing units, retail, and commercial space.
Renovation work included significant reinforcement of the original structure, restoration of historic interior trim, and upgrading modern mechanical and fire safety systems through original masonry walls.
The building’s walls and roof were upgraded with high-performing insulation and advanced energy recovery ventilator (ERV) HVAC systems.
The building features 59 market-rate and 15 middle-income one- and two-bedroom apartments, 1,207-m2 (13,000-sf) of retail and commercial space, and a planned 240-seat restaurant.
To meet modern fire codes while preserving the open appearance of three existing wooden staircases, The Architectural Team (TAT) designed new fire-rated doors that remain open unless triggered by a fire alarm.
Entry doors to individual apartments are custom-designed to replicate the detailing on the building’s historic wood interior doors while meeting all the latest safety codes. Many of the original doors have been restored and fixed in place on unit walls and throughout hallways.
Another element of restoration involved preserving and restoring the original interior detailing.
The design team oversaw the trim’s removal, numbering, and cataloging, including carved woodwork, wood and plaster molding, marble wall and floor surfaces, and wainscoting—all of which were reinstalled in the project’s final stages.
The design team discovered significant rot and related damage to the original wood beams and columns. To combat this, they sistered joists, repaired several existing connections, and installed new steel posts and beams to provide additional structural integrity.
