2025 Year in Review

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. 

Progress in Pittsfield

AHF continues to work with Allegrone Companies on adaptive reuse projects in downtown Pittsfield. This year, the AHF-Allegrone partnership brought about a successful application to the Commonwealth’s Underutilized Properties Program, providing $500,000 to the Berkshire County Savings Bank Building project. 

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. 

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.

AHF-Supported Pittsfield Projects Receive Funding from the Commonwealth

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.

A big congratulations to all the awardees!

Learn more about the program and see the full list here.

Architectural Video Tour of the Charles River Speedway Development

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. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:49 Garage B

03:39 The Courtyard

09:08 The Office

10:24 The Cocktail Bar

12:03 The Brewery 

Background

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.

Architects: Hadley’s old school could be rehabbed for $8M

Daily Hampshire Gazette

by Staff Writer

May 27, 2025

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.”

Worcester Memorial Auditorium Receives $25 Million Commitment from Healey-Driscoll Administration

AHF is thrilled to share that the Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced a transformational $25 million match commitment to help redevelop the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. Without such a meaningful commitment from our government partners, this project would not be possible.

After 25 years of dormancy, this investment will enable AHF to enter the next phase in the restoration of the Auditorium as a cultural and civic landmark, while honoring the veterans—past and present—for whom it was originally built.

As Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista put it: this pledge is a “game changer” for the project.

Read the press release below for more information.

Press Release Governor Healey Commits $25 Million to Support Worcester Auditorium Redevelopment 

State funding pledge will unlock private funding to advance project critical to the economic development of Central Massachusetts 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

5/15/2025

  • Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll

WORCESTER — Governor Maura Healey announced that her administration would make a $25 million match commitment to help redevelop the Worcester Memorial Auditorium, a critical project key to spurring new economic growth in Worcester and the broader region. The multi-year commitment of state funds will serve to unlock additional tax credits and philanthropy to bring this $100 million project to life. 

“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. “Our hope is that the state’s commitment to redeveloping this facility will spark others to step up and provide the full financing necessary to make this project a reality.”

“Buildings like the Worcester Memorial Auditorium have the potential to be the heartbeat of cities like Worcester and bring economic development and cultural vibrancy to the broader central Massachusetts community,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This funding pledge demonstrates our commitment to economic growth in all regions of our state.”

Built in 1933 to honor Worcester residents who fought in World War I, the Worcester Memorial Auditorium has been vacant for the past 25 years. Originally designed to seat up to 4,500 people, the auditorium played host to countless civic meetings, charity events, graduations, concerts by legendary performers such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and Louis Armstrong and the College of the Holy Cross basketball team.

In partnership with the city of Worcester, the Architectural Heritage Foundation envisions a redeveloped multipurpose facility that blends historic preservation with modern amenities that could offer a wide range of programming—from concerts, comedy shows, weddings, and conferences to emerging events such as e-sports tournaments, robotics competitions, and immersive exhibits.  

Statements of Support

Mayor Joseph M. Petty, Worcester

“The support from the Healey-Driscoll Administration is critical to the revitalization of the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. I am so grateful for the Commonwealth’s support and hope we can breathe life back into this gemstone.”

City Manager Eric D. Batista, Worcester

“This $25M match from the Healey-Driscoll Administration is a game changer for the redevelopment of the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. The Auditorium is a central piece of Worcester’s downtown and Lincoln Square, and we are thrilled to see funding come in to help restore the building to its full potential as a vibrant hub of economic vitality. We hope this funding will generate further interest in bringing this project to fruition.”

Sean McDonnell, President and CEO, Architectural Heritage Foundation

“AHF is deeply grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for its transformational investment in the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. Without such a meaningful commitment from our government partners, this project would not be possible. For more than 65 years, the Auditorium served as a vibrant center of community life—hosting Bob Cousy’s Holy Cross basketball games, performances by Louis Armstrong and Bob Dylan, Jewish High Holiday services, graduations, First Night celebrations, and countless civic events. After 25 years of dormancy, this investment will enable us to enter the next phase in the restoration of the Auditorium as a cultural and civic landmark, while honoring the veterans—past and present—for whom it was originally built.” 
 

Craig L. Blais, President, Worcester Business Development Corporation

“This $25 million Aud announcement is a transformative investment in Worcester by the Healey Administration. This critical facility will now serve as the anchor for the Lincoln Square redevelopment effort to build upon the Gateway Park project.”

Deborah Packard, Executive Director, Preservation Worcester

“The Worcester Memorial Auditorium is undoubtedly the most cherished building in Worcester.  Not only is it an elegant and imposing structure, but it also embodies individual milestones and enduring memories of concerts, graduations, dance recitals, Holy Cross basketballs and so much more.   Always of concern, the building was first listed on Preservation Worcester’s Most Endangered Structures list in 1997.  It takes time and commitment to restore and repurpose a grand historic structure.  We couldn’t be more grateful to the Commonwealth and the Architectural Heritage Foundation for their collective vision, determination, and foresight to bring new life to one of Worcester’s most important structures.” 

William Wallace, Executive Director, Worcester Historical Museum

“The Museum of Worcester is excited to learn of this commitment which will revitalize one of the city’s treasured architectural gems and its World War I memorial—a landmark building at the entrance to Worcester’s Salisbury Cultural District.”

State Senator Michael Moore, Millbury

“For the past 25 years, the vacant Worcester Memorial Auditorium has represented an opportunity to restore a cultural landmark and reopen a uniquely beautiful space in the heart of the city. I am so thrilled that the Architectural Heritage Foundation has taken on the challenge of redeveloping this building and that the Healey-Driscoll administration has committed $25 million in matching funds to make it happen. In a city full of rich history and stunning 20th century architecture, the Aud distinctively stands apart. I can’t wait to see it be reimagined for the 21st century.”

State Senator Peter Durant, Spencer

“I often hear from people with many memories of the Worcester Memorial Auditorium when it hosted wrestling and concerts but it’s also a very significant historic building which should be brought back. The $25 million in matching funds will help open doors for grant opportunities that to restore this iconic building which, we cannot forget, honors Worcester citizens who fought in WWI.”

State Representative John Mahoney, Worcester

“The Worcester delegation threw our support behind the Auditorium because it is an important landmark for the city of Worcester. Our constituents deserve to be able to take advantage of this wonderful amenity. We’re grateful the Administration is investing in the building and excited for AHF to give it a new life that can be enjoyed by all.”

State Representative Mary Keefe, Worcester 

“This is great news for our city.  The auditorium is first and foremost a memorial to soldiers of the first World War. This funding will allow us to preserve that fact and to repurpose the building to an active and new use.  Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for recognizing the value of this special building.”

State Representative Jim O’Day, Worcester   

“The Worcester Memorial Auditorium is an incredibly historic building, and efforts to maintain its longevity will be an asset to the economic development of the City of Worcester. I applaud Governor Healey’s commitment of the $25 million.” 

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May is Preservation Month!

This year to celebrate Preservation Month, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has urged us to think about the “Power of Place” –  for us, the Worcester Memorial Auditorium immediately comes to mind. 

AHF, with the City of Worcester, has embarked on a project to revive the Auditorium (locally called “the Aud”), reestablishing this majestic building as a cultural resource for the city.

The rehabilitation and revitalization of the Aud taps into all the ways that historic preservation can affect local communities – adding to a vibrant downtown, providing new places to gather, creating economic growth, and re-asserting the Auditorium as a centerpiece to Worcester’s civic pride. 

The Power of Place is obvious from the first time you lay eyes on the building: the Auditorium’s prominent location in historic Lincoln Square makes a strong first impression. In the years after WWI, Worcester’s leading citizens spent a decade looking for a suitable site, eventually securing 100,000 square feet of land from the Worcester Art Museum to build the Auditorium. Today, the massive Classical Revival structure, with its Doric columns and five large, bronze doors, plays an important role in the architectural fabric of Lincoln Square, and the Salisbury Cultural district beyond. 

Inside the building, there are spaces both sacred and momentous that show the Power of Place. The entire building was created as a memorial to the soldiers in the Great War, but within its walls, the gracious Memorial Hall invites visitors to reflect on the lives lost. The soaring ceiling, the multi-story windows overlooking Lincoln Square, the evocative murals on the walls – upon entering this space, one feels the impact immediately. Voices quiet, eyes take in everything from the marble floors to the gilded eagles. This is a place for reflection. The Memorial was and remains a space for remembrance, as well as celebration of the city’s strength.

In the large Auditorium space, another feeling often hits visitors: nostalgia. Maybe they remember catching their favorite band perform here – Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, the Rolling Stones, and Phish all performed onstage. Or they remember Bob Cousy and the Holy Cross Basketball team playing on the hardwood. Perhaps they recall spending time with their families here, watching their sister’s dance recital, or attending countless graduations. From the mezzanine’s velvet green chairs to the extraordinary Kimball Pipe Organ – visitors to the space immediately grasp that this is a special place, and one that should be brought back to life. 

Lastly, it’s the building’s place in Worcester history that is ever-powerful. It was no small feat to build the Auditorium – built from Deer Island granite, Indiana limestone, and marble, the municipal project took 15 years and cost $2 million to construct. City leaders envisioned a monument honoring the 9,000 Worcester citizens who fought in the Great War, and the 355 young men and women that sacrificed their lives. The Auditorium serves as a solemn memorial to lives lost and a spirited affirmation of Worcester’s vitality.

Rodman House: New Technology for Historic Architecture

Built in 1833, the William Rodman House in New Bedford is known for its impressive facade, flanked by six ornate hand-carved columns – that are now deteriorating.

How do you replicate the intricate details of the original columns? For AHF, the answer lies with a group of talented designers mixing modern technology and traditional craftsmanship.

2024 Year in Review

2024 has been a year of partnerships and relationships. In this line of work, we never work alone – and this year, that was more apparent than ever. From working with municipalities to better understand their historic resources to guiding a Friends group to forge a future for a centuries-old meeting house, AHF is all about creating teams and sharing our expertise. 

Here are a few highlights from our year of partnerships. 

Worcester Memorial Auditorium, Worcester 

Following a productive 2024, optimism is high for the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. In partnership with CSL International, we developed a comprehensive business plan that outlines a sustainable operating model for the building—no small feat. The City of Worcester has also committed to repairing the roof, safeguarding the building against further water damage. AHF is grateful for the $1 million grant from the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which will help offset future electrical costs. Most importantly, the project is now closer to full revitalization than at any point in the past 25 years, with expectations that 2025 will mark a significant step forward.

Russell School, Hadley

AHF partnered with Berkshire-based design/build firm Allegrone Companies on a feasibility study for the reuse of the Town of Hadley’s historic Russell School. Built in 1894 and part of the town’s historic town center, Russell School has been empty and unused for over a decade. The Town has hired our firms to evaluate possible reuse options, allowing for a more effective decision-making framework about how to move forward with this town-owned property. 

Wright and Jim’s House of Shoes buildings, Pittsfield

AHF has assisted Allegrone Companies with the redevelopment of the Wright Building in downtown Pittsfield over a number of years. The project, which consists of the rehabilitation and expansion of two vacant downtown buildings in walking distance to Pittsfield’s train station, reactivates this long-dormant block.  

2024 marks a big step forward for the project: Allegrone Companies received another state HTC allocation, an Underutilized Properties Program (UPP) grant from MassDevelopment, and successfully unlocked HDIP funding for the project. Thanks to these sources and combined with the accrued HTCs, construction on 35 mixed-income housing units and 6 retail spaces has commenced. 

Beyond the Wright Building, AHF has also been assisting Allegrone Companies in Pittsfield with various preservation consulting services, including Section 106 Review at a nonprofit healthcare facility as well as advancing a new state and federal tax credit project at an exciting and highly visible location.

Manor House at Elm Bank, Wellesley/Dover 

In 2024, AHF worked with Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MHS) on a grant application to support the restoration of the historic Manor House that is located within the Gardens at Elm Bank. Though this year’s application was unsuccessful, both organizations have a more concrete understanding of how to create a pathway forward for Manor House – and how AHF might serve MHS as a trusted historic preservation advisor in the future. 

Rodman House, New Bedford 

This year, AHF has taken on a significant restoration project at the Rodman House, one of New Bedford’s most significant historic resources. Built in 1833, the Greek Revival mansion’s monumental, highly intricate carved columns are distinctive – and in rough shape. AHF is working with Forma Inc. and AP Whitaker and Sons to fabricate a historically accurate replica of one the columns, using cutting edge CNC machining techniques. The goal is to reproduce existing conditions in a high-density urethane material that will be indistinguishable from the original mahogany. 

The original columns, which lasted for over 150 years, are remarkable examples of skilled carving/artisanship and old growth wood, and this next round of restoration work will likewise seek to ensure a very long second life. This work is being partially funded by a grant from the City of New Bedford Facade Program. 

Church on the Hill, Lenox 

The Lenox Meeting House has been a prominent part of the landscape of Lenox since 1806. Today, the Friends of the Lenox Meeting House are looking to make the building more accessible to all. This fall, AHF completed a Strategic Directives Report that will help guide the group as they make changes to allow for more flexible and diverse uses of the sanctuary and narthex, in addition to improving accessibility and adding a communal kitchen area. You can find out about the Friends’ efforts here.