Union Crossing

Union Crossing will transform a complex of 19th century textile mills into approximately 400,000 square feet of renovated and newly-built space, including family and workforce housing, commercial office, retail, and community facilities, as well as new green space and public access to the Merrimack River.

Latest News
Union Crossing project recently showcased in NeighborWorks Green Agenda. Click the link to see the summary and the full PDF article. NeighborWorks Article


Union Crossing recently received a $1.8 commitment from the Fireman Foundation.  Click here to see the related article in the Eagle Tribune. Eagle Tribune Article

Also, check out this article from the Boston Globe about how “As if to defy the recession, a nonprofit development corporation is pressing ahead with its multimillion-dollar project to transform two of Lawrence's old textile mills into a mixed-use development that includes affordable housing.” Here’s the link:Boston Globe Article

 

For the most up-to-date information about the project, check out the Union Crossing Blog.  Union Crossing Blog can be hyperlinked to the site at http://unioncrossing.wordpress.com/

Upcoming Meetings

The next Union Crossing meeting will be held on April 16th.  This will be followed by a final presentation by MIT students on UC’s storytelling project on May 6th.

Photo Gallery

Click here for a slideshow about the project
 
Project History
 
The need for housing for working families in downtown Lawrence was first identified by the Reviviendo Gateway Initiative in 2004.  Lawrence CommunityWorks acquired the Southwick Mill complex in August 2007, and closed on the Duck Mill in late June 2008.
 
Organizing and Planning
 
After acquiring the Southwick Mill complex, LCW celebrated an historic occasion: for the first time in the City’s history, the people of Lawrence are owners of the mill buildings.  Thus far, LCW has hosted over a dozen community planning meetings for Union Crossing, attended by more than 100 people in total, and a volunteer committee continues to meet on a regular basis to review plans and help advance the project.  To become a committee member, please Click here. Union Crossing Events, Click here
 
Project Description
 
Union Crossing consists of two adjacent properties: the 240,000 square foot Southwick Mill buildings and associated parking lot, and the 120,000 square foot Duck Mill.  Together, these buildings provide the opportunity to create a new neighborhood in the heart of the mill district that is accessible to Lawrence residents and minutes from downtown and the train station.  The proposed 125+ mixed-income housing units, new day care center, and significant new commercial and community space will set a standard for energy-efficient and healthy development, build resident assets and wealth, and promote education and wellness. For information Click here
 
Project Financial Partners
 
Mainstream Global, Bell Tower Management, Lawrence General Hospital, The Life Initiative, NHSA-CDFI, Boston Community Capital, The Fireman Foundation, Community Day Care Centers of Lawrence, City of Lawrence, MA, Groundwork Lawrence, Department of Housing and Community Development, Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, NeighborWorks America, Lawrence History Center, Federal Home Loan Bank, Riverbank, and the MA Historic Commission.
 
Project Status
 
The project team has recently completed the Master Plan (available online at http://www.coldhamandhartman.com) and is working on schematic design for the buildings and site.  Construction is slated to begin in early 2009.

Project Team

Bill Traynor, Executive Director

Jessica Andors, Co-Executive Director

Armand Hyatt, Project Advisor

Katherine Easterly, Project Manager

Lisa Kozol, Real Estate Director

Dan Koff, Project Administrator

Maggie Super Church, Project Director

(For more information please click here)

 

 

 

 

Maggie Super Church, Project Director for Union Crossing, joined the Lawrence CommunityWorks Real Estate department in July. She is the former Executive Director of Groundwork Lawrence, a non-profit organization working to create a greener, healthier, and more economically viable community in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She has worked on smart growth issues as a planner, designer, and non-profit advocate for sustainable urban redevelopment and infill projects in Lawrence and across the country. Ms. Church is a 1994 Truman Scholar and holds a B.A. with Honors in Architecture from Yale University, a Masters in Urban Design from the Edinburgh College of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland, and a Masters in City Planning from MIT. Ms. Church has worked at Buchanan Associates Architects in New Haven, Connecticut; the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.; and as a planning consultant in Dublin, Ireland. Before joining Groundwork, she was a Senior Planner/ Urban Designer at Goody, Clancy & Associates in Boston, where she managed the award-winning Eastern Cambridge Master Plan. Her projects have been featured in Banker & Tradesman and the Urban Land Institute. Ms. Super is the recipient of the 2003 Excellence in Public Service Award from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.