Frost Terrace, situated in the heart of Porter Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, seamlessly integrates three historic houses with contemporary architecture and a dynamic, human-centered landscape, transforming a previously vacant site into high-quality multi-family housing. The project is a 2024 Robert H. Kuehn, Jr. Award recipient.
Overview
The project involved three main components: the relocation and rehabilitation of the residence at 1791 Massachusetts Avenue, the rehabilitation of the residences at 1 and 2 Frost Terrace, and the construction of a new apartment block at the rear of 1791 Massachusetts Avenue. Located in the vibrant Porter Square, Frost Terrace stands as a distinctive, transit-oriented, 100% affordable family community. In response to rising living costs and the decreasing number of low- and middle-income households, Cambridge identified the need for more affordable housing through the Envision Cambridge initiative, a multi-year planning and visioning effort. Frost Terrace addresses this critical issue by providing high-quality, multi-family housing for 40 low- and middle-income households.
Contribution
Epsilon’s team of historic preservation consultants completed a Massachusetts Historical Commission Form B (Building) for the William Frost House. The park’s documentation was provided as part of the Project Notification Form submitted by the City to the MHC as part of its proposal to restore the existing buildings.
Achievement
The project received a 2024 Robert H. Kuehn, Jr. Award from Preservation Massachusetts. Frost Terrace provides much-needed, high-quality, multi-family housing for 40 low- and middle-income households.