Got tickets? Join us this Friday, June 2, at Fenway Park to celebrate 40 YEARS of Preservation Massachusetts + the incredible award-winning projects and individuals being honored this year. 4:00pm - ($50 ticket add-on) Fenway Tour 5:00pm - Doors open (521 Overlook, 14 Lansdowne St.) 6:00pm - Awards ceremony 6:45pm - Reception 8:30pm - Event concludes Email jroper@preservationmass.org with any questions. (fb)

Congratulations to The McElwain School Apartments, recipient of the 2025 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award! #historicpreservation #preservationmonth #historicpreservationmonth Meet all of the awardees + join us for the 40th anniversary celebration of Preservation Mass on June 6 at Fenway Park: Link in bio. -------------------------------- Built in 1912 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The William H. McElwain School is named for Bridgewater industrialist William H. McElwain (1867-1908), founder of the W.H. McElwain Company, a shoe manufacturer and the town’s leading employer at the time. Rapid industrial growth led to a population boom, overwhelming the public school system. The McElwain family donated the land on which to build the school and named it in their honor. The McElwain School sat vacant from 1997 until its transformation into The McElwain School Apartments, consisting of 70,000 s.f. of housing (51 affordable units) and 17,000 s.f. of green space for the Bridgewater community. The town sought to preserve the structure in a way that prioritized families and aging seniors, included spaces for public gatherings, and activated the nearby business district. Capstone Communities and MPZ Development approached PCA, the planning, architecture and interior design firm, to rehabilitate the School. PCA’s vision enabled the preservation of this historical landmark to the standards of the National Park Service and Massachusetts Historic Commission, while integrating contemporary design throughout. The new building’s façade leverages neutral wood finishes, textured shake, and clapboard siding as an homage to classic New England architecture. The three-family residence includes two- and three-bedroom units that integrate original wooden floors, blackboards, cabinetry, clerestory windows, and stairways. Steampunk artist Bruce Rosenbaum designed a metal sculpture of a flying shoe, to signify the site’s history. These expansive and innovative improvements transformed what was an abandoned site into a revitalized development that honors Bridgewater’s past and provides quality affordable housing that advances economic stability and growth. (fb)