Pok Oi Residences Certified Passive House by PHIUS

We’re proud to share that Pok Oi Residences has officially achieved PHIUS+ 2018 CORE Certification, recognizing it as a certified passive house building!

Located in Boston’s Chinatown, the six-story, 85-unit affordable housing community shows how sustainable design and social responsibility can work together. Working with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England and Beacon Communities, Pok Oi sets a new benchmark for energy-efficient multifamily housing in the Northeast. The project meets rigorous performance standards set by the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), ensuring exceptional comfort, air quality, and energy performance.

Key design features include:

  • High-performance envelope: R-28 walls, R-50 roof, and triple-pane windows.

  • Efficient systems: Central energy-recovery ventilation (80% efficiency) and Mitsubishi VRF heating and cooling.

  • Renewable energy: A 32.8 kW rooftop solar array offsets building energy use.

Together, these strategies reduce energy use by more than 70% compared to typical multifamily housing, cutting operational costs while enhancing resident comfort and health.

Learn more about the certification on the PHIUS Certified Project Database →

Frost Terrace Featured in AIA Climate Justice Case Study

Frost Terrace, a 100% affordable housing community in the heart of Porter Square, has been featured by the The American Institute of Architects (AIA) as a case study as part of the COTE Climate Justice Framework.

This transformative project integrates historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and high-performance sustainable design to support housing equity and socioeconomic diversity in one of the region’s most expensive neighborhoods.

Read the full case study to see how design can drive climate and social justice:

Pok Oi Residences Celebrate Official Opening

The Pok Oi Residences, a transformative affordable housing project in Boston’s Chinatown, celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting celebration on Wednesday, May 21st. This milestone embodies a commitment to community, equity, and resilience in one of Boston’s most culturally significant neighborhoods.

Mayor Michelle Wu joined local leaders and community members to mark the opening, calling it “an important milestone in preserving affordability and community in this historic neighborhood.” Located at 288 Harrison Avenue, the development delivers 85 new homes for individuals and families at a range of income levels, including units reserved for people who have experienced homelessness.

We are honored to have worked alongside Beacon Communities, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) of New England, and a host of city and state partners to bring this vision to life. Formerly an underutilized parking lot, the site now serves as a vibrant gateway to Chinatown, balancing the challenges of urban living with the need for comfort, sustainability, and dignity in housing.

The design was deeply informed by environmental research and community feedback. With features that address air quality concerns and reduce noise from nearby highways, the building is design LEED Gold standards and is Passive House certified, underscoring its commitment to long-term sustainability and resident well-being. Every element of the design supports the goal of maintaining Chinatown’s cultural and physical accessibility for generations to come.

We’re grateful to have played a part in this meaningful project!

New LEED Certification: Frost Terrace

Frost Terrace has achieved LEED certification!

Frost Terrace, located at 1791 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, was recently certified LEED Gold (v4 – Multifamily Midrise). Part of Frost Terrace’s LEED success is its alignment of sustainable design strategies with principles of affordable housing—lowering utility costs, conserving resources, prioritizing mobility (bikes and transit), and creating healthy living environments for residents. The project includes re-used existing buildings and materials, wood structure and finishes, energy recovery ventilation, efficient electric-driven heat-pump systems, and highly insulated envelopes (new and upgraded).

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping to make the world more sustainable.

Congratulations to the project team!

Bruner/Cott Completes Frost Terrace in Cambridge, MA

     

New Construction and a Restored 19th Century House Anchor Affordable Housing in Porter Square

Known for residential design in new construction, restoration/renovation, and industrial conversions, Bruner/Cott Architects announces the completion of Frost Terrace, a 100 percent affordable housing apartment community at 1791 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge’s Porter Square. Achieved in partnership with Capstone Communities and Hope Real Estate Enterprises, the complex is in a desirable, transit-oriented neighborhood facing an extreme shortage of such housing. It provides 40 families and individuals with long-term rental options.

Directly adjacent to the firm’s Lesley University Lunder Arts Center on Massachusetts Avenue, Frost Terrace comprises three extant buildings—1 and 2 Frost Terrace, plus a contextual modern addition that balances the overall composition. The William Frost house, built in the late 1800s, was preserved, transformed, and expanded at the rear of the complex to provide additional living quarters. Formerly surrounded by similar houses and the North Avenue Congregational Church (moved to its site from Kirkland Street near Harvard Square in 1867 and is now the Lunder Arts library), the Frost house is the last of its kind on the block, providing continuous historical context.

Designed with light and air in mind, twenty-six of Frost Terrace’s 40 units are generous 2-to-3-bedrooms. Thirteen one-bedroom and one studio unit complete the mix. Reserved for households earning less than 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), with four units reserved for households earning less than 50% of AMI and four units reserved for households earning less than 30% AMI, the complex received over 900 applications during its initial leasing.

A transit-oriented development that prioritizes space for people over motor vehicles on the site, Frost Terrace offers immediate proximity to the MBTA, bike lanes, and essential community services, as well as 44 secure bike parking spaces. Three parking spaces are provided for residents with disabilities.

Sustainable design strategies include LEED Gold certification aspirations for multi-family mid-rise. Environmental interventions include the installation of solar panels, stormwater management, tree preservation, and energy efficient equipment, complemented by landscaping and paving improvements that created accessible community space.

“Rooted in community building, new contextual architecture, and historic preservation, Frost Terrace’s sustainable design aligns with current principles of affordable housing—prioritizing mobility, lowering utility costs, conserving resources, and creating healthy living environments,” says Principal-in-Charge Jason Forney. “Our goal was to respect and renew the venerable aspects of the site and its structures while delivering environmentally responsible housing for today and tomorrow.”

The Frost Terrace project was made possible by an affordable rental housing award announced by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on July 25, 2018, which provided $57 million in direct subsidies for 19 high-impact projects throughout the state. Additional funding was derived from Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and subsidy funds via the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and funds through the City of Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust.

 

Photos here

Photography Credit: Robert Benson Photography

 

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808 Memorial Drive Project Receives $87m in Financing from Mass Housing

Congratulations to client Homeowner’s Rehab Inc. on receiving $87.2 million in financing for the renovation of the 808-812 Memorial Drive multifamily housing community in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This financing will enable HRI to extend affordability protections by at least 15 years and to make substantial property renovations.

Situated along the Charles River, the buildings house 300 mixed-income apartment units of varying sizes, approximately 38,000 sf of commercial space, and five levels of parking. The project aims to improve tenant comfort and sense of security, while also strengthening the residential community and identity.

MassHousing provided HRI with a $61.5 million tax-exempt construction loan and permanent loan, $24.9 million in taxable and tax-exempt credit equity bridge financing and a $787,763 interest reduction payment (IRP) loan. The project will also use $8.9 million of income during the construction period for development costs. The transaction also involved $36.9 million in equity financing from an allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit tax credits by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. The LIHTC tax credits were syndicated by RBC.¹

Bruner/Cott is performing an occupied renovation of two 1970s-era apartment buildings with construction expected to be completed by 2022.

Read the full article on Multi-Housing News.