By HFT Staff

Live Give Play (LGP) and Spiritos Properties have announced plans for 79 King Street, their first rental building for adults aged 55 and older in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

The team has revealed detailed views for the five-story, 110,000-square-foot facility planned to open in late 2024. The companies have received a key zoning permit and preliminary design approvals for the sustainable building, which will be constructed using mass timber technology and energy-saving Passive House standards. 

79 King Street’s concept is based on three premises: 

• a market opportunity to serve Baby Boomers who want to live in walkable communities but can not afford prime locations in America’s large cities 
• a focus on energy-wise buildings and alternate mobility—shared electric cars, bicycling and walking — crucial to slowing global warming and promoting healthy lifestyles 
• elevating the purposeful lifestyles and intergenerational communities associated with college towns — an improvement over age-segregated communities built around golf courses. 

Quality, sustainability and price  

Designed by BKSK Architects, 79 King Street employs a mass timber structure of sustainably sourced wood and designed to Passive House standards that slash heating and cooling costs. The market rental property will feature rooftop solar panels and an airtight building envelope. 

79 King Street residents will live in a small, historical city while staying connected to nature. Inside, the building’s timber structure is partially exposed to reveal warm wood columns, beams and ceilings, providing a key part of the interior aesthetic and reducing the use of paints and artificial materials. The 70-unit building’s site stands by the heart of downtown Northampton’s food, shopping and cultural scene, less than one-half-mile from the Amtrak station and Smith College’s campus. Out the rear door is the 11-mile Norwottuck Rail Trail, accessible to bikers, skaters and walkers. Nearby nature outings for birdwatching or fresh air include Connecticut River Greenway State Park and the Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 1.5 miles and 3 miles from 79 King Street respectively. 

Amenities designed into 79 King Street include a shared rooftop garden for tenants, electric vehicle charging, bike storage and a shared electric car program. On the second floor, tenants can enjoy a fitness room and multipurpose community room and lounge. Retail spaces on the ground level will be programmed to serve bicycling enthusiasts taking advantage of the adjacent trailhead.