Novo Receives Plan NH Merit Award

Novo Studio Architects is honored to have received the Plan NH Merit Award for our Jackson Square Affordable Housing project.

Plan NH is a 501(c)3 organization comprised of planners, designers, builders, and others - including Novo’s own Steve Hebsch. They focus on fostering excellence in planning, design and development of New Hampshire’s built environment. Each year, their Merit Awards recognize and showcase outstanding projects that reflect the mission and values of Plan NH and demonstrate how the built environment can make a positive contribution to people and places.

In June, Novo and their client Randy Turmel, received the Merit Award in recognition of their Jackson Square Affordable Housing project. Plan NH shared the following description of the project:

“Located in a part of Nashua undergoing gradual transition, 4-6 Bridge Street in Nashua sat dormant for decades. First as home to several underused, dilapidated buildings at the end of their useful life, and then as a parking lot and a place for trash. For years, the owner, Randy Turmel, a realtor for over 30 years, hoped to find the best use for the site that would fill a need and be a community asset.

He reviewed options for commercial spaces, retail, auto service stations, and more. It wasn’t until the InvestNH Program for Affordable Housing was announced that Randy was able to make something happen. Through the incredible partnership with the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs (NH BEA) and the city of Nashua, Novo Studio Architects, and the engineering team were able to execute on a design and get the permits in place to meet the stringent requirements, and successfully compete for the grant. When the grant was awarded, the team had just 16 months to finalize the drawings, get approvals and complete construction. With the tremendous support of the Nashua Building Department and NH BEA, Novo, Team Engineering, and Eckman Construction were able to deliver 24 completed, move-in ready apartments by June of 2024.

Randy’s goal for Jackson Square was to set the precedent for revitalization with high quality affordable housing. He challenged Novo Studio to create something that would stand out and be an example for what the street could become. The inspiration for the design of Jackson Square was people and community. Novo carefully reimagined the parcel and turned it into 24 beautiful affordable apartments for the Nashua community. Novo’s solution was not changing the traditional vernacular materials, but rearranging them in a way that is modern and attractive. The Architect wanted the building to stand out and be a blueprint for future housing yet harmonize with the existing neighborhood. The unique sister-building massing concept not only provides a beautiful central landscaped courtyard, it also helps to break down the scale of a larger development and not overwhelm surrounding structures.

Fulfilling its goals for an accessible design to foster community and inclusivity, the residents of Jackson Square are a snapshot of our community; ranging from young professionals, to single mothers, to retirees. Additionally, the building was designed with 8 handicapped accessible units on the ground floor, 4 times more than the code requirement. As a proud recipient of the InvestNH Grant for Affordable Housing, all 24 units are affordable to renters earning 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The building and its residents are part of the new urban fabric of Bridge Street, close to bike paths, amenities and downtown. This project is a beacon of change and possibility in central Nashua, charting the course for urban transformation.”

Our team is honored to receive the award, and we extend a thank you to our incredible partners: Eckman Construction, Crimson Properties LLC, Team Engineering, Hayner Swanson, and Andrew Dorsett from NH Economy. Your collaboration brought Jackson Square to life.

We are proud of Steve Hebsch for his continued contributions as a member of the Plan NH Board, and we thank Plan NH for the important work they do for the Granite State.