Beacon Communities does it all, from large HOPE VI projects to a net-zero-energy single-family homeownership community.
The firm is in the midst of preserving the Ames Shovel Works factory, widely considered one of the nation’s most endangered properties.
A cherished landmark in Easton, Mass., the property is where the Oliver Ames & Sons company made the shovels that enabled the California Gold Rush, helped build the transcontinental railroad, and were issued to U.S. soldiers from the Civil War to the Korean War.
When prior attempts to redevelop the site involved demolishing a significant portion of the complex, locals rallied for an alternative and approached Beacon. The firm acquired the site and is busy preserving the buildings while creating a 113-unit mixed-income community and open space.
It is just one of the firm’s many high-profile, high-impact developments that the Boston-based firm is involved in. “We can execute a diversity of projects,” says Pam Goodman, president of Beacon Communities Development.
Last year was a big year for the firm as it started construction on three new developments and acquired 11 properties.
In 2012, Beacon, in conjunction with Equity Resources, Inc., also acquired a 49 percent interest in the Lawler Wood portfolio consisting of approximately 50 Sec. 8 developments as well as the Lawler Wood development and management company, according to Goodman.
More affordable housing deals, including additional acquisitions and preservation projects, are in store.“We expect to have an active year again,” Goodman says.
