The Overlook at St. Gabriel's

The Overlook at St. Gabriel’s is a 550 apartment community located on an 11.8-acre parcel in Brighton, MA.  The project included four residential buildings ranging from three to six stories in height, which are situated around the rehabilitated, historic St. Gabriel’s Monastery and Church.  The pedestrian, bike, and transit-friendly project site is located approximately 1,500 feet from the Washington Street T stop of the MBTA Green line and is steps from Brighton Center.  Shadley Associates was the lead site designer for the seven-acre open space. SA worked with Cabot, Cabot and Forbes and Peak Campus Development along with Cube 3 and BH+A Architects to create a site that links the diverse project elements with the surrounding community and mobility network.

The three-acre open space at the front of the site was retained and restored, honoring the historic resources, and protecting mature trees. New site amenities include a central pedestrian street, plazas and garden spaces, most of which are on podium over parking below, which provide pedestrian connections throughout the site with new sidewalks, benches, and streetlights.  The project includes two landscaped courtyards with amenities such as swimming pool, outdoor seating with fireplaces and grilling areas, flexible synthetic lawn used for movie nights on a large digital screen, multiple gaming activities, and a pergola with bar counter seating and informal garden space.

The Overlook at St. Gabriel’s was the recipient of multiple awards including a Multi-Housing News (MHN) Excellence Award for Best Adaptive Reuse, the Preservation Massachusetts - Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award, the Boston Preservation Alliance - Preservation Award, and a Student Housing Business - Innovator Award. The awards honor the historic preservation efforts of the project and the positive impact it's had on the community.