Market-rate housing development finished one month ahead of schedule despite challenging site conditions and winter weather.
WORCESTER, Mass. — Callahan Construction Managers and Maugel DeStefano Architects have completed construction of Poet Hill Place, a new 210-unit market-rate apartment community in Worcester’s Poet Hill neighborhood, delivering the project a full month ahead of schedule.
Developed for SMC Management Corp., the five-story residential complex is located on a five-acre site on Hemans Street and features studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments built above a double-podium parking garage. The development is designed to help meet the growing demand for modern housing while transforming an underutilized site into a vibrant residential community.
The project presented significant engineering and construction challenges due to the site’s steep terrain. The nearly 40-foot grade change required extensive sheeting and shoring operations during construction. Maugel DeStefano Architects incorporated the natural slope into the design by creating a landscaped residential courtyard atop the parking structure that connects directly to Hemans Street.
“As architects, we approached the site’s significant grade change as a defining opportunity rather than a constraint,” said Mike Kunz, Principal at Maugel DeStefano Architects. “The resulting design creates a strong connection between the building, landscape, and neighborhood while providing residents with inviting shared outdoor spaces.”
The C-shaped building surrounds a central courtyard and offers a range of amenities, including landscaped outdoor gathering areas, grill stations, a fire pit, bocce ball court, rooftop deck, cyber café, fitness and yoga spaces, and a community room designed to foster resident engagement.
Despite weather-related delays during the winter construction season, Callahan’s project team maintained an aggressive schedule and completed the development one month earlier than originally anticipated, allowing SMC Management Corp. to begin leasing apartments sooner.
“The Poet Hill Residences transformed an underutilized site into a residential space that will help attract new residents to Worcester and provide a high-end experience to everyone who lives there,” said Bob Simonds, Director of Capital Projects at SMC Management Corp. “The Callahan team went above and beyond to ensure we met our occupancy goals.”
Throughout the project, Callahan worked closely with Worcester city officials to meet zoning and safety requirements while maintaining regular communication with neighborhood residents. The collaborative approach helped keep the project on track and supported its successful completion.
Headquartered in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Callahan Construction Managers is a full-service construction management firm with additional offices in White Plains, New York. Maugel DeStefano Architects specializes in designing innovative residential, commercial, and life sciences projects throughout the Northeast. The completion of Poet Hill Place marks another significant addition to Worcester’s expanding housing market and ongoing urban revitalization efforts.
