Castle Square Apartments, a 500-unit affordable housing complex in Boston’s South End, under the direction of the Castle Square Tenants Organization (CSTO) and WinnDevelopment, underwent one of the largest redevelopments in the city’s history.

Completed in 2012, a major facelift transformed the façade and created a more dynamic and visually exciting exterior, and a deep energy retrofit produced vital efficiencies. Innovative solutions in construction logistics, energy and green design, and operations throughout resulted in the revitalization of this landmark affordable housing development.

Construction Logistics

A major goal of the project was to completely renovate the building’s 500 individual units without moving the 1,500 residents out of their homes or the complex. The complicated logistics involved: replacing 3,500 windows, renovating 24 kitchens and bathrooms per week, installing 84 new boilers and heating systems, and renovating eight street-level retail spaces.

Each residence had its own set of unique challenges. Significant penetration between apartments had created unwanted air flows and caused complaints about odors and air quality. Language barriers, with many residents speaking only Mandarin or Cantonese, often made it difficult for contractors to communicate as they moved residents’ furniture and belongings around in order to make the necessary repairs and upgrades.

Critical to the successful renovation of such a large number of occupied apartments was the creation of two hospitality units. These units were made available to residents during the day so that they could remain comfortable and have access to stoves, sinks and bathrooms. All residents were allowed back into their homes with access to their kitchens and bathrooms at night. Planning and coordination on this large scale and tight schedule, in such a busy downtown environment, had never been attempted. The project team was up to the challenge and managed the complex construction to a successful, on-time completion. 

Deep Energy Retrofit

Since the 40 year-old Castle Square complex had numerous capital needs, the decision was made to not only renovate, but to also make the building energy efficient. The deep energy retrofit involved major system replacements, including the building’s envelope, HVAC upgrades, solar hot water and cosmetic improvements, with a goal of reducing overall energy costs by 70 percent. As a result, Castle Square became the largest affordable housing complex in the United States to receive USGBC’s LEED Platinum Home Certification.

A deep energy retrofit is defined as a renovation with energy savings greater than 50 percent. The Castle Square deep energy retrofit differs from standard energy efficiency renovations due to the insulation’s location on the outside of the building. The new five-inch super insulated shell, combined with an insulated reflective roof, high efficiency windows and extensive air sealing, increased the insulation value of the building by a factor of 10. With additional energy equipment and LED and CFL lighting, energy savings were achieved using small high efficiency cooling and heating Star appliances and solar hot water.

“These renovations and energy savings are immensely improving the Castle Square community,” said Deborah Backus, executive director of Castle Square Tenants Organization. “We are very excited that our residents will now enjoy a better quality of living and a new community center will allow CSTO to expand its program offerings.”

Building Management And Ownership

When the Castle Square redevelopment project began, ownership of the complex was split between the CSTO, the minority owner, and WinnDevelopment, the majority owner. A key project goal was to transition the ownership structure by the end of the redevelopment, so that CSTO would become the majority owner and WinnDevelopment the minority owner. This was significant because it meant that ownership and control of the building’s operations would lie with the building occupants.

One of the strategies that helped to make this transition possible was the creation of resident workshops throughout design and construction. These workshops not only allowed occupant feedback during construction, but also educated residents about management from the owner’s perspective. By project completion, the CSTO was capable of managing the complex. Today Castle Square remains 100 percent occupied with satisfied residents.

The redevelopment was funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Green Retrofit Program, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, MassHousing, National Grid and NSTAR.

The project’s design, development and construction team included  WinnDevelopment, Building Science Corporation, Elton + Hampton Architects, Pinck Co., Petersen Engineering, Biome Studio, Rees-Larkin Development, Klein Hornig LLP, Backus Associates, Viva Consulting and CWC Builders.

Jennifer Pinck is president of Pinck & Co., Owners Project Managers, project manager of the Castle Square redevelopment.