Durable Housing for Group Homes

We all have favorites.  I like Contoocook Creamery’s Blueberry Milk as a “Victory Drink” on top of a mountain!  Litherman’s Bow Wow Yippie Yo IPA is a nice treat to celebrate the victory around the campfire!  And Community Resources for Justice is one of my favorite clients.

CRJ, among other programs, offers group homes for those unable to live and work independently through their Community Strategies Program in New England.  It’s an admirable and necessary mission for our society, and I believe that they do it quite well.

CRJ was handed some lemons when a structural fire destroyed their Paxton, MA group home.  They turned it into lemonade by giving us the challenge to design a practical replacement.  Among the features:

1. Slab on grade for a durable (rot free) floor system;
2. Fully accessible (including the rear patio shown above);
3. Secure, conditioned storage in a walk-up attic for staff only;
4. Fire suppression;
5. Break resistant windows;
6. Floor drains in areas such as bathrooms;
7. Central office for convenient supervision.

George Burke (Burke Group, Woburn, MA) did a great job turning our vision into reality.  This place will certainly not get Team Engineering into Fine Homebuilding , but it will provide safe and easy-to-maintain housing for five residents.  It will also serve as a model for the CRJ Community Strategies program.

Practical and economical design solutions.  How can we help you?!