Leominster, Massachusetts: Allencrest Community Center

Leominster, Massachusetts: Allencrest Community Center

HUD USER publishes a series of Case Study case studies that highlight federal, state, and local strategies for increasing affordable housing opportunities, integrating sustainable features and practices, and improving access to public transportation. The projects featured in these case studies have demonstrated innovation through a multitude of partnerships and initiatives.

The most recent Case Study highlights the newly constructed Allencrest Community Center in Leominster, Massachusetts. Located on the site of the Allencrest Apartments and owned by the Leominster Housing Authority (LHA), the Center provides a rich learning environment for students and a platform for community engagement. Leveraging a $400,000 grant from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, LHA partnered with an area vocational school and Boston-based Abacus Architects + Planners to design and construct the facility. The building’s design incorporates features that are conducive to learning and reduce its energy use. The community center serves as a national model of community-based architecture, and has been awarded the 2013 American Institute of Architects/HUD Secretary’s Award for Community-Informed Design.

Visit HUD USER's Case Studies Resource page to learn more about the Allencrest Community Center and to view other promising examples of how communities across the nation are raising the bar on affordable, sustainable development.