PERSPECTIVES

“Build where we live” has many meanings to RODE. It embodies the projects we get built in our neighborhoods, but it also reflects our mission to support the people and institutions that make our community strong. RODE was lucky to host 12 student-athletes from the Harlem Lacrosse program at Tech Boston Academy. During their visit to our office, our team engaged the students in a short lesson on architectural history and discussed the many types of careers in the design industry. The highlight of the visit was an opportunity for the students to design their dream locker room in a live design charrette.

The Harlem Lacrosse visit was made possible by Nick Binder, a Designer at RODE, who is an avid lacrosse player, active volunteer coach, mentor, and Associate Board Member with the Harlem Lacrosse-Boston branch.

Harlem Lacrosse Boston was launched in the fall of 2016 and has grown to provide both boys and girls programs across 5 schools. It is an around-the-clock program that has coaches involved with students during the school day, after school for study halls and practice, and even later in the evening for tutoring sessions. For more information about this great program, and to get involved, check out their website at https://www.harlemlacrosse.org/

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The Team took a break from designing awesome buildings to enjoy an evening of bowling and pizza at the new FlatBread Brighton spot.

Candlepin - easy to try, impossible to master - is as enraging as it is enjoyable. Team 'DE' was victorious yet again, in what turned out to be a gripping rematch of the RODE-Ball event from last fall.

Check out the two co-founders in action; look at that form, that grit!

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The following article was published in the Banker & Tradesman on January 28th, 2019.

Located 35 miles north of Boston along the Merrimack River near the New Hampshire border, Haverhill is one of Massachusetts’ original 11 Gateway Cities.  Formerly an industrial city, Haverhill was at one time an economic center of the area. Although the shoe-making industry has long left the area, downtown Haverhill has remained an active center for the city, with restaurants & bars, small shops & businesses, or the vibrant and growing arts scene. Despite this activity, the historic downtown industrial buildings of Haverhill have been an untapped resource for the city.  Many of the buildings are only occupied at the street level, with some remaining entirely vacant.  With cooperation from state and local officials and led by Traggorth Companies, RODE Architects has been working to revitalize two of the city’s more underutilized assets while preserving their historic character.

The first of these two projects, JM Lofts, was completed in 2016.This formerly vacant 20,000 sq. ft. building, built in 1882, is now a center of activity for the downtown area, with retail space at the street level and 18 one- and two-bedroom lofts on the upper floors that embrace an upscale industrial aesthetic. The second project, 87 Washington St., started construction in August, and is very similar to the first with 24 one-and two-bedroom lofts and commercial space at the street level.  Also built in 1882 after a fire destroyed many the city's mill buildings, 87 Washington St. has been vacant for many years.

The goal of these projects was to create distinctive, efficient interior spaces that respect and highlight the history of the building. On the exterior, the goal was to restore the building to its former glory, but with the energy efficiency and accessibility of today’s architecture.  These turn-of-the-century industrial buildings have built-in advantages such as high ceilings, large windows, exposed wood beams, and beautiful brickwork that architects and designers can highlight with proper planning.  Along with a sleek modern interior design that works with the building’s history, these elements provide an authenticity that can be lacking in newer construction apartment buildings.

Projects like these are very much a team effort not just from responsible developers, like Traggorth Companies, but from state funding programs that help make these projects possible.  Mass Development has provided financing support for Traggorth Companies’ Haverhill projects, and their Transformative Development Initiative – target specifically towards Gateway Cities – has helped spurred Haverhill's revitalization. Mass Housing Investment Fund provided equity for 87 Washington through the Healthy Neighborhoods Equity Fund. Both projects utilized Mass. Historic Commission (MHC) tax credit awards which require the new design to restore the original condition, as much as possible, while allowing for the building to be adapted to another use.  This is essential to respecting the historical context while responding to today’s needs for housing and urban amenities.

Also utilized was the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Housing Development Incentive Program, which requires the development of market rate units without income restrictions. Finally, RODE led a team of design consultants to coordinate the structural upgrades necessary to resist seismic and wind-loads and aesthetic improvements that align with Historic Preservation guidelines.  For the two Haverhill projects, this included the replacement of windows with new high-performance products that are also historically accurate, as well as the repair and replacement of historic brick, stone, and other facade elements.

Gateway cities like Haverhill are the ideal location for today’s market demographic.  Haverhill has the infrastructure, access to public transportation, local businesses and amenities, but without the high rents of larger cities like Boston.  And in turn, the rehabilitation of long-vacant spaces brings commercial amenities and apartments to help activate historic downtowns.  These projects are part of Haverhill’s renaissance, using beautiful well-crafted mill buildings that are irreplaceable assets from an industrial past.  They represent successive, small improvements that help set the tone for future projects and continue to push the renewal of an area with such rich resources.  Gateway cities are uniquely positioned to satisfy the needs of a growing population who are looking for affordability with a design aesthetic that connects the past to the future.

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RODE is proud to announce the promotion of five its team members to Associate. Each of the distinctive individuals are recognized for their dedication to the firm, superior client service and design ability, as well as mentorship and care for the profession. The promotions cover positions across the full range of the firm’s capabilities, from operations to interior design.

“Our team is a truly unique group of individuals, and we inspire each other to achieve success and find the most amazing solutions for our clients. This group in particular represents our best skills, attitude, and sense of service,” said Kevin Deabler, Principal. “It’s important to recognize our leaders as the breadth of our work is increasing. We see these promotions, our very first at RODE, as a critical step in forming the future of firm.”

Promotions include:

• Mike DelleFave, AIA, LEED AP has been with RODE since 2014. He brings more than a dozen years of experience to the firm and has dedicated himself to teaching within the firm and at local colleges. DelleFave strives to support the creative energy of the office and fosters collaborative connections across the studio. Key projects he has been involved in include Dorchester Brewing Co., The Flats on Savin, Forbes Street Townhouses, and the mixed-use development at 110 Savin Hill Ave. Originally from Smithfield, RI and now a resident of Dorchester, DelleFave holds a Bachelor of

Architecture from the Wentworth Institute of Technology and a Masters from the Pratt Institute.  

• Jessica Haley, Associate IIDA has been with RODE more than 5 years and brings 12 years of interior design expertise to the firm. Her unique approach has been realized in a range of project types including hospitality, multi-family, commercial, institutional, and academic research. Her award-winning design work has brought acclaim to the firm’s hospitality projects such as La Brasa, Commonwealth, SRV, Southern Proper, and the Cambria Hotel at 6 West Broadway. Originally from Peterborough, NH, now residing in Boston, Haley holds a BFA from Suffolk University and Masters in Interior Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.  
• Lucas Herringshaw, AIA, LEED AP has been with RODE for 3 years and in the industry for nearly 15. Herringshaw’s attention to detail, focus on design integration, technical expertise and project coordination help him lead complex projects including the soon-to-be-finished Cambria Hotel at 6 West Broadway and the anticipated boutique hotel at 150 Kneeland, among others. Originally from Slidell, LA and now a resident of Dorchester, he is a graduate of Tulane University with a Masters in Architecture.  
• Shelley Kolesar, PHR is responsible for the firm’s human resources, financials, and overall operations. Kolesar has been with the organization since 2013 and brings close to two decades of professional experience, including industry-specific expertise to help navigate the business forward. At RODE, she has presided over an exciting period of firm-wide growth and cultural transformation. Originally from Ballston Spa, NY, Kolesar now resides in Boston, and is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire.  
• Ben Wan was RODE’s first full-time employee and has been impacting the architectural design of the firm’s projects for more than 9 years. He has been a leading team member on RODE’s most complex, transformative projects such as Radian, DOT Block, 105 Washington Street Development, Commonwealth Kitchen at Pearl, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. He also plays a key role in mentoring and fostering the firm’s culture and mission statement. Originally from Billerica, MA and now a resident of Malden, he is a graduate of Northeastern University with a Masters in Architecture.

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RODE and Hudson Group North America have won the approval of the Boston Planning and Development Agency for a 230-room, 21-story boutique hotel on Kneeland Street in the Leather District. The team is uniquely qualified to deliver this small footprint project, which will bring much-needed hotel rooms to this dense and transit-connected urban neighborhood, having completed the nearby Radian Boston residences in 2014.

This approval is the culmination of a community review process that secured the support of an overwhelming majority of neighbors, adjacent businesses, and nearby Chinatown residents.

The development transforms a blighted site to bring new life and activity to the streetscape, introducing a dramatic double-height ground floor with publicly accessible café and lounge. The building celebrates the Leather District’s unique historic qualities by drawing on its strong cast-iron language, with a facade that is both a solid metal frame and a transparent skin that engages with the bustling Kneeland St. corridor.

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