Downtown Worcester Conversions Bring New Housing
The Worcester Guardian speaks with TAT Associate Ryan Hagler about office-to-residential conversions and how public funding and private investment are reshaping housing and raising questions about affordability within Worcester, MA.
By Matt Olszewski
Not long ago, the buildings at One and Two Chestnut Place were defined by desks, conference rooms and office traffic. Now, they are being reshaped into housing — part of a broader shift in Worcester reflecting changing workplace habits and continued demand for places to live.
Together, the projects represent how Worcester is navigating a complex intersection of housing demand, public investment and redevelopment challenges, with both opportunities and trade-offs still taking shape.
Design constraints and opportunities
While financing plays a key role, architects say the physical structure of older office buildings can present equally significant challenges.
“In our experience the biggest challenge is the relationship of available floor plate to the exterior exposures,” said Ryan Hagler, a project manager at The Architectural Team. “The ideal dimension for a double-loaded corridor multifamily building is 60 to 65 feet across. However, most office buildings constructed around the turn of the 20th century are considerably narrower … while most built after the 1940s are very deep.”
Continue reading the article here.