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June 23, 2026 - Announcements + Recognitions

Real Estate + Development Team Advises on Award-Winning Adaptive Reuse Project

Preservation Massachusetts
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A redevelopment project on which Robinson+Cole’s Real Estate + Development team advised, WinnCompanies’ Residences on Appleton, has received the Paul & Niki Tsongas Award, Preservation Massachusetts’ highest honor, recognizing excellence in historic preservation across the Commonwealth.

Presented at Preservation Massachusetts’ Annual Preservation Awards on June 11, 2026, in Boston, the award recognizes projects that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to preserving and revitalizing historic resources.

Robinson+Cole represented WinnCompanies in the $55.3 million adaptive reuse of a former alpaca wool mill in Holyoke, Massachusetts, transforming the long-vacant industrial complex into an 88-unit affordable housing community for residents ages 55 and older. The development features loft-style apartments within three interconnected, 120-year-old buildings, along with amenities including a fitness center, resident lounge, outdoor recreation space, and on-site parking.

Once the largest alpaca wool mill in the world and vacant since the 1970s, the property is one of Holyoke’s most recognizable historic structures. In partnership with the City of Holyoke, WinnCompanies redeveloped approximately 86,000 square feet of the site using a combination of private financing and local, state, and federal support.

The project was also designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities sustainability standards, with features such as 100% clean hydropower from the City of Holyoke, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, and water-conserving fixtures.

The Robinson+Cole team advising on the project was led by Real Estate + Development co-chair Deirdre Robinson and partner Michele Maresca.