HMFH to Speak at Massachusetts Historic Preservation Conference

September 2, 2021

Join HMFH leaders Gary Brock, AIA, LEED AP BD+C and Pete Rust, AIA at the virtual Massachusetts Historic Preservation Conference on September 23^rd-24^th as they share their expertise successfully navigating the intersection between sustainability and historic preservation.

The Massachusetts Historic Preservation Conference is a biennial, statewide event where professionals and local advocates interested in preservation can learn and share preservation successes, challenges and lessons learned. As presenters, Gary and Pete will provide a designer’s perspective on the economic, environmental and social benefits of historic preservation and how to make adaptive reuse a feasible option for future projects. Alongside Cambridge Historical Commission Executive Director Charles Sullivan, HMFH’s session will focus on a case study of the recently completed Renae’s Place, providing valuable insight into the process of restoring a historic structure while making it more resilient and energy efficient for optimal performance and community benefit.

A small project with a large impact, Renae’s Place was originally an 1885 residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts that had fallen into disrepair through decades of commercial use. The renovation and addition transformed the property from its underutilized state into 10 units of emergency housing, while successfully achieving seemingly disparate goals: restoring the building’s original historic character, designing for climate resiliency, and creating a safe environment for vulnerable populations.