Julia Martin House

Jamaica Plain, MA

The program called for 56 units of affordable senior housing and a ground level senior center for the larger contiguous public housing development. Developed on a limited budget, the building uses simple materials to delineate the vertical transitions, and was designed to facilitate aging in place through a unique collaboration with senior residents.

A major focus for the client was sustainability. The building features a wide variety of recycled materials including sidewall products, low VOC paints, carpeting, etc. Exterior vapor shield is a breathable product that allows moisture to escape wall construction without being permeable. VCT was used for apartment floors for asthma control, and building utilizes Nstar rated fixtures with high efficiency lighting and appliances. Low volume showers were used in lieu of bathtubs in all apartments, and an innovative system of recapturing heat expelled through apartment air change exhaust requirements was used. Apartment ventilation risers are collected in attic and air is transferred horizontally to a heat exchanger that converts energy to preheat incoming air stream for public areas.

The building was funded from a wide variety of federal, state, city, and private sources creating a complex process of securing design and program approvals at each stage.

Awards & Publications

BSA/ NewYork AIA Housing Design Award

The Boston Globe - "Seniors Have Their Say"

Construction Info

Client - Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC)

Construction Cost - $7.5M

Date of Completion - 2006