Across Massachusetts, historic buildings are finding new life through thoughtful rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. Preservation Massachusetts has recognized three Epsilon-supported projects with 2026 Preservation Awards, celebrating outstanding examples of historic preservation, redevelopment, and community investment. Together, these projects demonstrate how historic properties can be reimagined for modern use while maintaining the character and significance that make them unique.
Epsilon provided historic preservation consulting and historic tax credit services for each project, helping project teams navigate state and federal preservation requirements and advance the successful redevelopment of these historically significant properties.
2026 PRESERVATION MASSACHUSETTS AWARDS AT A GLANCE
• 70-80 Porter Road, Cambridge – Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award
• Henry G. Dorr Building, Boston – Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award
• Lowney Chocolate Factory, Mansfield – Robert H. Kuehn, Jr. Award
70-80 Porter Road, Cambridge, MA
2026 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award
Constructed in 1915 as an apartment building, 70-80 Porter Road has served Cambridge for more than a century, most recently as affordable housing owned by the Cambridge Housing Authority. A comprehensive rehabilitation of the building preserved the historic character of the building while updating aging systems, improving accessibility, and supporting long-term sustainability. The result is more efficient housing that meets today’s residents’ needs while protecting a historic community asset.
Read the full project portfolio: 70-80 Porter Road
Henry G. Dorr Building, Boston, MA
2026 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award
Located at 281-283 Franklin Street in downtown Boston, the Henry G. Dorr Building project involved the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the historic commercial building, preserving its architectural character while creating 15 residential units and retaining active ground-floor commercial space. Completed in 2025, the project is notable as the first successful implementation of the City of Boston’s Office to Residential Conversion Program, demonstrating how historic rehabilitation can help address evolving housing and redevelopment needs while preserving the city’s historic fabric.
Read the full project portfolio: Henry G. Dorr Building
Lowney Chocolate Factory, Mansfield, MA
2026 Robert H. Kuehn, Jr. Award
Built in 1903, the historic Lowney Chocolate Factory has been thoughtfully rehabilitated and adapted for new uses, transforming a long-vacant industrial property into a vibrant mixed-use development. As one of the largest rehabilitation projects in the region, the project brought new housing and commercial activity to the community while preserving an important piece of the town’s industrial heritage. This redevelopment highlights how historic preservation can serve as a catalyst for economic growth and community revitalization.
Read the full project portfolio: Lowney Chocolate Factory
About the Experts
Douglas Kelleher, Principal and Manager, Historic Preservation Group is a leader in the field of historic preservation planning with over 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors. He served as Principal for this project. Mr. Kelleher’s prior experience includes numerous years as a Preservation Planner with the Massachusetts Historical Commission. He specializes in providing public and private sector clients with strategic consulting for complex real estate projects involving historic resources for compliance with local, state, and federal historic preservation regulations. Widely recognized as a leader in the preservation community, his well-established expertise is a cornerstone of Epsilon’s historic resources and historic tax credit practice.
Brian Lever is a Principal at Epsilon and has over 20 years of experience in architectural history and preservation planning. He has experience in implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and related local, state, and federal environmental laws, regulations, and guidelines affecting historic resources. Additionally, Mr. Lever has expertise in state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits and formerly was the Senior Preservation Planner for the City of Newton.
Brielly McGlauflin is a Senior Preservation Planner at Epsilon. Ms. McGlauflin has assisted in numerous historic tax credit rehabilitation projects throughout Massachusetts and New England and has more than 10 years of professional experience in cultural resource management and historic preservation planning. She works with environmental laws, regulations, and guidelines affecting historic resources at the local, state, and federal levels.
Erin Doherty is a Senior Preservation Planner at Epsilon with over 10 years of professional experience in cultural resource management and historic preservation planning. Having spent much of her career in the public sector including years of experience at the Massachusetts Historical Commission and Boston Landmarks Commission, she has an intimate familiarity with environmental laws, regulations, and guidelines affecting historic resources at the local, state, and federal levels. Ms. Doherty has extensive experience in state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credit applications.
Michael LaFlash is a Senior Preservation Planner at Epsilon with over five years of professional experience in cultural resource management and historic preservation planning. Prior to Epsilon he spent the majority of his career representing all aspects of state and federal historic tax credit projects, including the development of Part 1 and Part 2 applications and National Register Nominations, with experience in over 20 states and Puerto Rico.