Cambridge-based architecture and interior design firm PCA completed the 57-unit McElwain School Apartments, an affordable housing development meeting the high-performance building standards for both Passive House and LEED Gold certifications.
Working in partnership with Capstone Communities (Capstone) and MPZ Development (MPZ), PCA’s design team preserved and retained the historic 1912 schoolhouse building and site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and vacant for the past 20 years.
The historic renovation of the schoolhouse creates a 16-unit residential building, paired with a new, three-story, 38-unit residential building behind the school and a new public green. PCA’s design also included the restoration of a historic Greek Revival house and barn on the property. Of the 57 apartments, 51 are affordable for families earning at or below 60% of the Annual Median Income (AMI).
“There is much to celebrate with this project’s opening,” said PCA principal Mark Eclipse. “The team achieved a 90% affordable-unit outcome, designed the apartments at or above LEED Gold and Passive House benchmarks, and restored a beloved community landmark, the McElwain School, for another century of everyday use and community benefit.”
Buildings certified under Passive House standards focus on ‘passive’ measures to provide heating and cooling efficiency reductions of up to 90% and achieve up to 75% reduction in overall energy use compared to existing buildings. McElwain is the first multifamily development in Plymouth County to achieve Passive House certification (PHIUS); the newly built, 38-unit residence received the PHIUS certification.
“We are incredibly grateful to our project partners and funders who helped make our vision for a vibrant, sustainable, mixed-income community at the McElwain School Apartments a reality,” said Mathieu Zahler, Principal of MPZ Development and Jason Korb, Principal of Capstone Communities. “This former elementary school site will once again serve as a tremendous asset to the Greater Bridgewater community and provide high-quality housing options that hardworking families can afford.”
The schoolhouse preservation design references classic New England residential architecture. It features neutral wood finishes, historically accurate windows, and textured shake and clapboard siding. The McElwain School Apartments’ name pays homage to William H. McElwain (1867-1908), the founder of the William H. McElwain Shoe Company. His manufacturing facility was a major Bridgewater employer at the turn of the 20th century. MPZ and Capstone commissioned renowned artist Bruce Rosenbaum to create an intricate metal sculpture of a flying shoe that pays tribute to McElwain’s business and sits outside the building’s main doors.
Project financing came from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Town of Bridgewater Community Preservation Act funds, federal and state low-income housing tax credits, federal and state historic tax credits, solar energy tax credits, and private funding sources.
About PCA: Founded in 1982, PCA is recognized as one of New England’s most creative and innovative design firms. The staff brings an uncommon blend of business insight and creative problem-solving to each project. With expertise in architecture, planning, and interior design, PCA teams provide thoughtful, award-winning designs for hospitality, housing, retail, higher education, and mixed-use clients — making places that thrive in the marketplace and bring lasting value to the community.
About MPZ Development LLC: MPZ Development works with public agencies, local organizations, and other entities to create smaller-scale mixed-income, multifamily, and mixed-use residential developments across Massachusetts. The company’s principal, Mathieu Zahler, has more than 19 years of experience in both the design and construction industry and the field of real estate development.
About Capstone Communities: Capstone Communities is committed to helping neighborhoods across Eastern and Central Massachusetts thrive. The team draws upon years of experience and a relentless dedication to excellence to provide exceptional, thoughtful housing for all. By focusing on thoughtful, conscious, people-first development, Capstone Communities is strengthening communities, one neighborhood at a time.
