Featuring The Charles River Speedway | Brighton, MA.
From abandoned stables to a community cornerstone. 🍻 See how the @charlesriverspeedway honors its 1899 roots while creating a modern hub for art, beer, and connection.
We are so pleased to announce that America ByDesign has featured the Charles River Speedway in a recent episode! With cameos from Sean McDonnell and Kara Anderson of AHF, and architects Christopher Neilson, Henry Moss, and Jason Jewhurst of Bruner/Cott – the team members put on the spotlight on the Koji Club, Garage B, Notch Brewing and the Speedway’s iconic courtyard.
Do you have a stuck historic preservation project? The Massachusetts Underutilized Properties Program (UPP) is a great opportunity to move planning, feasibility studies, or construction projects forward. Via the Community One Stop for Growth, the program is now accepting letters of interest for FY2027. Expressions of Interest are being accepted now through June 3, 2026.Â
AHF has extensive experience with this state program, and has successfully supported several projects to gain funding. Wondering if your project might be a good fit, and looking for grant writing support or project consulting? Reach out to AHF today – email info@ahfboston.com.
Case Study:
Built in 1896, the Berkshire Country Savings Bank (BCSB) building is a notable cornerstone of the Park Square Historic District in Pittsfield. Listed on the National Register, the 6-story brick and limestone Renaissance Revival historic building has a prominent presence in Park Square, which at the end of the 19th century was considered the commercial and civic center not only of Pittsfield, but of all of Berkshire County. Today, Allegrone Companies aim to redevelop the historic building into market rate housing and bring back the historic first floor retail/restaurant. The adaptive reuse of this prominent building will bring desperately needed housing and economic activity to the downtown, building on the success of other Park Square historic projects.
AHF is assisting Allegrone Companies with accessing both State and Federal Historic Tax Credits and general historic preservation consulting. Last year, AHF was successful in accessing grant funding for the project through UPP allowing for interior remediation and structural stabilization to prepare the site for construction.Â
Administered by MassDevelopment, for the purpose of funding “projects that will improve, rehabilitate or redevelop blighted, abandoned, vacant or underutilized properties to achieve the public purposes of eliminating blight, increasing housing production, supporting economic development projects, increasing the number of commercial buildings accessible to persons with disabilities.”
With the Worcester Memorial Auditorium project poised to take big steps forward, AHF has created a new website for the historic building. Working with Sperling Interactive, using refreshed photography from Jason Baker and elevations from DBVW architects, the new website better reflects the current state of the building and the project. It also enables AHF to share more about both the history and the future of this significant Worcester landmark.
Boston, MA — A new regional grant program will support the preservation and rehabilitation of historic properties across Central Massachusetts, helping rural communities protect significant buildings while strengthening local economies and downtowns.
The Central Massachusetts Heritage Circuit Subgrant Program will make up to $616,000 available through competitive subgrants to preserve historic properties listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places. Eligible activities include planning, design, and construction work that meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
The Central Massachusetts Heritage Circuit Subgrant Program is funded by the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, under the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program. Funding for this program is provided through congressional appropriations to support the preservation of historic and cultural resources nationwide.
The program is administered by the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) in partnership with the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). Montachusett Enterprise Center (MEC), MRPC’s affiliated nonprofit organization, serves as the fiscal sponsor and grantee of record for the federal award. Architectural Heritage Foundation (AHF) will provide preservation technical expertise to support program design and implementation.
Funding recommendations will be informed by a Project Selection Committee operating under formal conflict-of-interest procedures. Final award decisions will be made by the fiscal sponsor in accordance with federal requirements.
The program will serve the 34 rural communities in the CMRPC and Montachusett regions, with a focus on historic commercial districts, civic buildings, and other significant properties that contribute to local identity and long-term economic vitality.
“This program is designed to help communities address real preservation needs while keeping historic buildings in active use,” said Janet A. Pierce, CMRPC Executive Director. “By combining federal investment with regional planning and preservation expertise, we are supporting projects that will deliver lasting public benefit.”
“AHF is thrilled to provide support to CMRPC’s subgrant program,” said Sean McDonnell, President and CEO of Architectural Heritage Foundation (AHF). “We have seen the significant economic and cultural impact of historic preservation projects across the Commonwealth and look forward to sharing what we’ve learned with the communities of Central Massachusetts.”
Subgrants will be awarded through a transparent, competitive process. We anticipate a Notice of Funding Opportunity, including additional information on eligibility, application materials, and program timelines will be released at the end of July 2026.
This project is funded in part by the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The contents and opinions expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior or the National Park Service, nor does the mention of trade names or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Founded by the Legislature in 1963, CMRPC provides a variety of services to its constituencies and brings a regional perspective to planning and development. One of 13 Regional Planning Agencies in Massachusetts, CMRPC serves the City of Worcester and 39 surrounding communities in the southern two-thirds of Worcester County. CMRPC’s programs include Transportation, Regional Collaboration and Community Planning, and Geographic Information Systems.
About Architectural Heritage Foundation (AHF)
Since 1966, Architectural Heritage Foundation (AHF) has been at the forefront of preserving and reactivating historic properties to stimulate community growth. AHF partners with public entities, nonprofit organizations, and private developers to find solutions for complicated historic preservation projects.
2025 has been all about moving projects forward. From big wins for the Worcester Memorial Auditorium project to gains in understanding the future of preservation technology, here are a few highlights from the past year.
The Memorial Chamber at the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. Photo by Jason Baker.
A Big Year for the Worcester Memorial Auditorium Project
Following a productive year in 2025, optimism is high for the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. In May, Governor Healey announced a $25 million matching grant toward the total project cost. This game-changing investment establishes a clear and realistic path to completion.
“Our administration wants to support this project and play a part in returning the Worcester Memorial Auditorium to its place as a vital cornerstone of Worcester’s civic and cultural identity, while honoring the veterans for whom it was originally built,” said Governor Healey.
The project also made continued progress in securing state and federal historic tax credits, as well as New Markets Tax Credits. In parallel, AHF launched the quiet phase of its philanthropic campaign, seeking to raise additional funds to close the remaining financing gap.
Finally, AHF refined its operating plan and is actively engaged in discussions with several potential operators and partners to support the revitalized building.
Looking ahead to 2026, a full-scale philanthropic campaign is expected, along with announcements regarding future development and operating partners.
The Russell School Feasibility Plan
In spring 2025, AHF and its partners at Allegrone Builders presented plans for the redevelopment of the Russell School building to the Hadley Selectboard. The well-received proposal outlined a feasible approach to rehabilitating the building’s existing architecture, along with a viable operating and capital financing plan. We see great potential to move forward with the preservation process in 2026 and save a historic gem for the Town of Hadley.
Allegrone Companies are redeveloping the National Register-listed building, preserving and restoring the iconic building’s historic facade while updating its infrastructure, systems, and finishes to support new residential and retail uses. The full project will transform almost an entire city block in downtown Pittsfield and add another 19 residential units. Similar to the nearby Wright Building, UPP funding will be used to kickstart interior work, remediation, and structural modifications to prepare the building for full redevelopment. We look forward to seeing these Pittsfield projects continue to progress in 2026, bringing real positive change to the city.
Photos courtesy of FORMA Beyond
Rodman House Columns
When the William R. Rodman House was built in 1833, it was one of the finest homes in the country.The architect of the massive Greek Revival home took advantage of its prominent location on County Street, adding six show-stopping hand-carved Corinthian columns to the impressive front facade. But time has taken its toll on the columns, with roof leaks and animal infestation has speeding up the deterioration and putting the columns in danger.
In 2025, AHF partnered with FORMA Beyond to reconstruct and replicate Column #6 using extensive 3D laser scanning to document existing conditions, and cutting-edge CNC machining techniques that will reproduce the column. Then – we wrote all about it with an in-depth interview with the project manager, Justin Blanchard, who helped explain how this new preservation technology and modern materials can be used to restore historic buildings. The new column was successfully installed and painted in April of 2025.
Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale of The Koji Club and Chris Loring of Notch Brewing. Photo by Ally Schmaling.
Fun Popups, Collaborations + an Architectural Tour at The Speedway
The Charles River Speedway continues to be a place to gather and find community. Together, Notch Brewing, Pizza Project, Bellwether Salon, the Koji Club, and Rite Coffee + Tea have made the Speedway a very special corner of Boston. Two pop-ups this year, Salsa Shack and Third Time Together, made the dining options around the courtyard even more varied and delicious. A late-year collaboration between Notch Brewing and Koji Club resulted in a crisp and tasty Tomodachi Rice Lager that blends New England craft brewing and Japanese fermentation traditions.
Another fun update: over the summer, we filmed a tour of the Speedway led by project architect Christopher Neilson of Bruner/Cott and AHF’s Sean McDonnell. Working with filmmaker Padriac Farma, we developed the tour into a video that can be watched and enjoyed by anyone who ever wondered about the history and redevelopment of this complex collection of historic buildings.
Last month in Monson, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced $179 million for 314 grant awards to support local economic development projects in 190 communities across the Commonwealth.
The grant awards were made through the Community One Stop for Growth, a single application portal that provides a streamlined, collaborative review process for 12 state grant programs that fund economic development projects related to community capacity building, planning and zoning, site preparation, building construction and infrastructure.
Since the program’s inception, AHF has worked with project partners to apply for Community One Stop grant funding to support a range of development activity at their respective sites. AHF is pleased to announce that two AHF supported projects in Pittsfield have received grant funding during this round, including a MassWorks grant providing $1.8M to the City of Pittsfield for an adjacent Pocket Park.
Berkshire County Savings Bank Building, Pittsfield
The Underutilized Properties Program is providing $500,000 to the Allegrone Companies.
Overview:
Allegrone Companies are redeveloping the National Register-listed Berkshire County Savings Bank Building in Pittsfield, preserving and restoring the iconic building’s historic facade while updating its infrastructure, systems, and finishes to support new residential and retail uses.
The full project will transform almost an entire city block in downtown Pittsfield and add another 19 residential units. Similar to the nearby Wright Building, UPP funding will be used to kickstart interior work, remediation, and structural modifications to prepare the building for full redevelopment.
AHF involvement:
AHF is proud to have supported this key development project in Pittsfield by providing strategic grant writing and technical assistance to the developer and the City. We compiled developer’s data and budgets into a compelling story and timely grant application, and provided required data for the City project.
On a recent tour of the completed Charles River Speedway, AHF president Sean McDonnell and project architect Christopher Nielson of Bruner/Cott led participants around the complex, giving them an in-depth understanding of the complicated project. Over the years, many people have expressed interest in learning more about the Speedway’s history and redevelopment. To share this story with a larger audience, we invited filmmaker Padriac Farma to capture the insights of the site’s developer and architect.
We invite you to watch the full tour here – or jump around to different sections of the complex.
The history of the Charles River Speedway is a long one – built in 1899 to support the nearby Charles River Reservation, the complex has expanded and served several different purposes throughout time. Home to the Metropolitan District Commission (later the Department of Conservation and Recreation or DCR), the Speedway served as police headquarters, Superintendent’s residence, horse stables, and maintenance garages. The complex was also a companion facility for the Speedway trotting park, a horse and bicycle racecourse that curved for a mile along present-day Soldiers Field Road.
Long underutilized, and then vacant for over a decade, the buildings fell into disrepair. After a long process, DCR selected AHF in 2013 to preserve and redevelop the Speedway through the agency’s Historic Curatorship Program.
AHF and DCR partnered to revitalize the Charles River Speedway in Brighton for commercial, cultural, and community uses. Now complete, the Speedway is home to a mix of shops, bars and restaurants, including Notch Brewing’s taproom and courtyard biergarten. The site also features offices and a large event facility, Garage B.
HADLEY — An historic school building in town center that has been vacant for a decade could be rehabilitated into micro apartments, office space or classrooms and art studios at a cost of less than $10 million, according to a report presented to the Select Board last week.
“There’s work that needs to be done on the Russell School. However, it is a strong building, one that is ripe for redevelopment, and one that we think should have a future in this town, from our perspective,” said Jake Sanders, project executive for the nonprofit Architectural Heritage Foundation, or AHF Boston, of Brighton.
AHF Boston, working with Allegrone Companies of Lenox, a design/build company with a structural engineer on staff, recently completed the 24-page report on the 1894 building at 131 Russell St. The $40,000 study was commissioned after the Select Board and Community Preservation Act Committee in 2023 opted against asking residents at annual Town Meeting to appropriate $1.24 million from the CPA account to stabilize the 10,613-square-foot building, which is situated in a prominent, National Register Historic District spot in town center between Hopkins Academy and Town Hall.
The Russell School Building Committee had advocated for the stabilization work, out of concern for continued deterioration of the building, including its foundation and slate roof.
The consultants offered information about the necessary steps to move forward with a project, which Sanders said could include finding a private partner that could lease or own the space, a developer to handle the microunit housing and the various grants and tax credits that might be available for the historic property.
“In our research, we have found the Russell School is an ideal candidate for housing or a community use,” Sanders said, with four options ranging from active use to repairs to demolition. “We have a path forward for the town.”
The report states that “a renovated Russell School is an ideal candidate for a community user or housing.” The cost estimates for overhauling the building are substantially lower than the $20 million to $22 million included in a report provided to the Select Board in 2019, with those cost estimates more than doubling if the rehabilitation includes further protecting the building in case of an earthquake. But the cost estimates are not significantly higher than a $5.9 million estimate provided in 2013.
The base option features exterior work and miscellaneous interior improvements, at a cost of $4.75 million. That would “button up” the property, Sanders said, to make it usable without requiring full accessibility.
“It would bring the building back online to a limited extent,” Sanders said.
Elise Keith, architect with Allegrone, said a lot of time was spent examining the exterior and what is necessary to restore the building.
“We’re calling for full window replacement, some selective repointing, because full repointing isn’t necessary, 25% of the roof replacement, and we’re also calling for some structural repairs at all of the entries,” Keith said.
Repointing involves repair of the masonry joints in the stonework.
The tower facing Route 9 needs full repointing and structural repairs, Keith said, and should be a priority due to the grout failing from both inside and outside that portion of the building. “It’s the only piece that was concerning to us,” Keith said.
The residential scheme would cost $8.17 million and would yield 11 housing units, while the offices/classroom scheme would cost $8.07 million and yield art space and meeting rooms.
Keith showed a site plan with the necessary parking and 11 units and another site plan with a commercial kitchen, meeting space and restrooms.
Finally, the full building demolition would cost $2.04 million.
“Demolition of this property, based on the cost and its structural integrity, would be an avenue,” Sanders said. “As historic preservationists, we wouldn’t support (it), but obviously, we don’t live in Hadley, it’s a community decision.”
The 1.87-acre site is in a 500-year flood plain, Sanders said, meaning this is not an issue for development and parking. Americans with Disabilities Act and Massachusetts Architectural Access Board improvements are feasible, too, as is an addition on the property should a developer want to expand the site.
Anthony Allegrone, director of design for Allegrone, worked closely with the in-house estimating team, which handles historic preservation and adaptive reuse of much larger buildings. He said the costs could vary by up to 20%.
Allegrone said the consultants are not suggesting the building would fall down, but deterioration can start to progress if current conditions are maintained.
“There is an extensive repair that’s required to bring it up to, let’s say, new construction standards, and a standard that would enhance the longevity,” Allegrone said.
The building opened in 1894 as the home of Hopkins Academy, following a fire that destroyed the previous building the year before. It was used as an elementary school through 1996, and then as part of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School campus for a decade, before finally being home to North Star Self-Directed Learning for Teens, which left the building in 2015.
Select Board members thanked the consultants for the report, while observing no imminent decisions are being made.
“We appreciate the effort you’ve put into this. This is what we’ve asked for,” said Select Board Chairman Randy Izer. “It’s been a long time coming.”
