Gatehouse Property in Stoughton the 'Prototype' for Proposed Development in Medfield

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a three-part series that takes a closer look at The Gatehouse Group, Inc. and the 96-unit affordable housing complex it is proposing to develop off West Street. Part two focuses on the design of the 96-unit affordable housing complex Gatehouse Group has proposed in Medfield.

To read part one of this series, .

Two of the six Massachusetts properties the Gatehouse Group owns and operates will give Medfield residents a better understanding of what type of affordable housing development is being .

Gatehouse Group developer James E. Koningisor of Koningisor, Luciano & Associates, Inc. said the company's is the prototype for the development proposed in Medfield and The Retreat at Union Pond community in Wareham is 100 percent affordable, which is what the 96-unit proposed Medfield development will be.

"As we do each development, we learn a little bit more," Koningisor said. "In [the Quail Run] design, we like how the buildings look and the way they fit together."

Quail Run was built in Stoughton in 2006-2007.

"In our plans [for the Medfield development], we have actual photographs of Quail Run because that’s how the buildings will look like [in Medfield]," he added.

Koningisor, who has been working with Gatehouse for over 20 years and has done all the permit, design and construction oversight for each of the company's six Massachusetts developments, said The Gatehouse Group takes "great pride in the design and construction" of its developments.

"We are long-term owners," Koningisor said.

Gatehouse communities feature a lot of architectural detail and landscaping, according to Koningisor and the proposed development for Medfield will be no different.

Here's a closer look at the proposed site plan of the 96-unit development off West Street:

The development will feature two buildings in the front of the property and two in the rear as you enter the property off of West Street (Route 27), according to Koningisor. Each of the buildings is three-stories and each building has two breezeways with 12 units.

Of the 96 units on-site, the proposed development calls for 24 one-bedroom units, 48 two-bedroom units and 24 three-bedroom units scattered throughout four separate buildings.

Other features:

• The Medfield development will have a clubhouse "to the right as you drive into the property," according to Koningisor.
• Recycling center will be on-site and includes a compactor and recycle area for residents, who bring their own garbage to the designated area.
• The site will have a maintenance garage for on-site maintenance operation. "Management is available on site 24/7," Koningisor said.
• On-site Great Room for community gatherings.
• On-site computer and business centers.
• On-site laundry facility.

Koningisor said while the land is zoned industrial, he and Gatehouse believe it is an ideal location for apartment-style living.

"When we look for sites for potential affordable housing development, we look for sites that have direct access to a major roadway," Koningisor said. "We try not to use sites that have access through single-family neighborhoods and have large impacts through single-family neighborhoods. That’s why we like this site so much. It has direct access onto a major road (Route 27) and is not surrounded by single-family houses. There’s very little impact. The single-family houses in proximity are across the street. We intend to utilize and maintain as much of the natural vegetated buffer that is there now and plan to plant trees."

The site also has wetlands on it; something Koningisor said the company kept in mind when designing the Medfield development.

"We believe very strongly in protecting wetlands," said Koningisor. "We are not impacting the wetlands at all. In our development, we are not proposing to fill any wetlands or impact them in any way. ... We are removing pavement in some areas and restoring it to habitat. We think this is a very environmentally sensitive development."

Another feature the development will have focuses on recycling storm water to be more environmentally friendly to the area.

"We have developed a drainage system that fully complies with what’s called DEP’s best management practices," Koningisor said. "All of the roof runoff on the development will be piped to what’s called infiltration basins, which are large concrete tanks in the ground surrounded with crushed stone so the water from the roof runoff, which is clean water, goes into the tanks and recharges into the groundwater.

"Runoff from paved areas, we utilize a system called sheet flow, where we try not to concentrate water. It flows off into swales and vegetated areas, where it gets purified and infiltrates. There are rain gardens throughout the site."

And because of the industrial use already on-site, utilities will come through the development.

"We’ll be picking up those utilities and carrying them through the site so all of that will be taken care of properly," Koningisor said.

As for safety, Koningisor said the buildings will be fully sprinkled and have a state-of-the-art fire alarm system.

"The buildings will be fully sprinkled with a sprinkler system that has sprinkler heads in all the concealed spaces within the construction of the building ... the closets, bathrooms and small areas throughout the attic ... it’s all covered throughout the system," Koningisor said. "It will also have a state-of-the-art fire alarm system so it will be a very safe development.

"It will be a safer place to live than all single-family homes unless you happen to have a home that is sprinkled and has a fire alarm system that is directly connected to the fire department."

Koningisor said the development caters to working people, young professionals and seniors.

"[The development] will also include seniors who have probably lived in Medfield all their lives and no longer want to maintain or can maintain a home and this provides easier living," he said.

The Gatehouse Group will present its proposal for the West Street site to the . The public is invited to attend.