Bensonwood is proud to partner with Dorchester Design Collaborative, a joint venture between Jennifer Ha of Hue Architecture and Milo Stella of Star Contracting Co., on the creation of 12 new affordable Passive House units at 104–108 Norwell Street in Dorchester. With all three Passive House building shells now complete, this milestone marks a major step forward in reshaping what affordable, community-centered, high-performance housing can look like in Boston.
Bensonwood’s high-performance process begins in design and continues through off-site manufacturing of the precision, high-performance building shells. The team then worked hands-on with the Star Contracting crew to train their team members on how to set panels on site.
“By leveraging off-site construction, we knew we would be able to get all three building shells stood up and weather-tight very quickly, and even though we’re moving fast, working with Bensonwood gave us the confidence that we would still be able to hit our passive house performance goals.” – Milo Stella, Star Contracting General Manager
This collaborative knowledge-sharing model strengthens local labor capacity and helps ensure future multiunit projects can be delivered more efficiently. With this roadmap for accelerating affordable multiunit projects across the Northeast, Bensonwood’s process helped ensure the project maintained tight control over budget, schedule, and performance.
(Scroll below for videos showing the panel setting process and the building shells coming together.)
This project brings three four-unit Passive House–designed buildings to Dorchester. Built on formerly vacant, City-owned land, the project is the first of its kind in the neighborhood, showcasing a forward-looking model for affordable housing delivery that blends:
- Faster and less-disruptive construction process through offsite fabrication
- Improved cost predictability
- Significant energy-performance upgrades
- Long-term affordability for homeowners
The result is a replicable approach that advances regional housing goals with homes that are healthier, more efficient, and that meet climate commitments.
“This project is a great example of what we’re looking for with the Welcome Home Boston Initiative, which is creating affordable homeownership opportunities, building high performing homes, and repurposing city land for good.” – Paige Roosa, City of Boston, Director housing innovation lab.
The project is financed through a $3.2 million construction loan from Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation (MHIC), along with funding from the City of Boston and MassHousing’s Commonwealth Builder program. It is part of the City’s Welcome Home Boston initiative, designed to expand affordable homeownership opportunities while supporting emerging development teams.
Development Team:
- Architect: Hue Architecture
- Offsite Fabricator: Bensonwood
- Contractor: Star Contracting Co.
- Photographer and Videographer: Peter Bowring, PRMEABL
