Reimagining Lakeside: Transforming Public Housing into a Connected, Resilient Community 

As part of a broader mission to reinvest in and modernize aging public housing, the Worcester Housing Authority has partnered with Tremont Development Partners and E3 Development to reimagine Lakeside Apartments in Worcester, MA. Originally constructed in the 1940s, the aging community is being transformed into a vibrant, sustainable 350-unit neighborhood that reflects today’s housing needs while preserving long-term affordability. 

The redevelopment introduces a diverse mix of housing options, including 10 affordable homeownership opportunities and rental units across a range of income levels — from 30%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of Area Median Income — supporting a more inclusive and resilient community. 

Supporting this vision, Bohler’s integrated planning, site civil engineering, and landscape architecture teams are guiding the project through four phases of development. From navigating complex infrastructure and permitting challenges to shaping a cohesive site design, the team is helping bring to life a connected community that seamlessly integrates with the surrounding neighborhood.  

Master Planning a Connected Community

From the outset, Bohler approached Lakeside Apartments with a holistic vision — master planning the development across all eight buildings to ensure continuity, cohesion, and a strong sense of place. Thoughtful coordination extended beyond the property lines, including collaboration with the adjacent city playground designer to ensure on-site amenities complement the nearby public space.

The result is a seamless blend of private and public realms, where accessible pathways, outdoor gathering areas, and a linear park along Lakeside Avenue connect residents to one another and to the surrounding neighborhood. These features tie directly into Worcester’s existing Riverwalk network, while interior and exterior bike storage supports multimodal access throughout the community. 

This big-picture mindset carried through to infrastructure planning. Rather than designing each phase in isolation, Bohler worked closely with the electrical provider to size and plan systems capable of supporting all four phases from day one. By anticipating future needs, the team eliminated the need to reopen roadways or rerun conduit as additional phases come online — saving time, reducing costs, and minimizing disruption for both the client and the community. 

Solving Complex Stormwater Challenges

Redeveloping Lakeside Apartments required addressing longstanding infrastructure challenges, particularly related to stormwater management. The original site lacked a formal treatment system, with untreated runoff discharging directly into nearby natural features. Compounding the challenge, the existing combined stormwater and sewer system was prone to inundation during heavy rain events. 

The site’s proximity to wetlands, rivers, and a reservoir added another layer of complexity, subjecting the project to stringent local and state regulatory requirements. To navigate these constraints, Bohler designed a comprehensive stormwater strategy that prioritizes both performance and protection of surrounding resources. 

The solution includes subsurface stormwater systems and water quality units that treat runoff before it leaves the site. In addition, the team conducted detailed hydraulic grade line analysis to ensure the new infrastructure could seamlessly connect to the aging utility network without overloading it.  

Grading Solutions That Shaped the Architecture

The sloped terrain along Lakeside Avenue introduced both grading and accessibility challenges, particularly as the team worked to connect multiple phases across a site with nearly seven feet of elevation change. At the same time, portions of the property fell within a floodplain, requiring a solution that would keep buildings protected without resorting to designing buildings elevated on stilts. 

Rather than treating these constraints as limitations, Bohler collaborated closely with the project architect Davis Square to turn them into opportunities. By strategically introducing a step in the building footprint, the team was able to efficiently absorb the grade change while maintaining ADA-compliant connections throughout the site. 

Creating a Sense of Place Through Amenity Design

Bohler’s landscape architecture team approached amenity design with a focus on creating a cohesive, engaging sense of place and avoid repeating identical features across the site. Amenities are thoughtfully distributed to align with the natural and built environment — community gardens are positioned near the pond, while a centrally located playground and splash pad activate the largest open space as a hub for residents. Dog parks, grilling stations, outdoor dining areas, and flexible hardscape spaces are integrated throughout the community to support a variety of lifestyles and encourage everyday interaction.  

Informed by feedback from residents and the housing authority, these spaces are complemented by enhancements along the Riverwalk and buffer areas, strengthening the connection between the community, its natural surroundings, and the people who call it home. 

A Phased Approach That Put Residents First

Construction at Lakeside Apartments is being delivered across four phases in close coordination with the Worcester Housing Authority to minimize disruption to existing residents. Throughout the process, households are temporarily relocated either onsite or nearby, with residents offered the right to return. 

Bohler played a critical role in shaping this phased approach from an infrastructure standpoint. The team ensured each phase could function independently while still aligning with the needs of the full buildout. This strategic planning allows construction team, Cranshaw Construction, to seamlessly transition from one phase to the next, maintaining momentum, improving efficiency, and reducing mobilization costs over the life of the project. 

 Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Sustainability is a driving force behind the Lakeside Apartments redevelopment, with the project incorporating Passive House design standards, rooftop solar, all-electric systems, and high-performance building envelopes to significantly reduce energy use and environmental impact. These strategies not only support long-term operational efficiency but also enhance comfort and resilience for residents. 

Working within Worcester’s specialized stretch energy code — one of the most stringent in Massachusetts — the team navigated complex site constraints to implement forward-thinking solutions. This included accommodating electric vehicle parking and integrating substantial electrical infrastructure within a condensed urban footprint, ensuring the community is equipped to meet evolving energy demands while advancing broader sustainability goals.