Maggiore Companies – Wakefield Station Mixed-Use

“Mixed-use” gets thrown around a lot in urban development. The concept is simple enough—blend residential, commercial, and public space into one cohesive project. The execution is harder.

Wakefield, Massachusetts, is putting the idea into practice with help from The Maggiore Companies, a family-owned firm based in Woburn. The result is The Residences and Shops at Wakefield Station, a transit-oriented development designed to bring new energy to the downtown district.

“We’re trying to create a vibrant, transit-oriented community in this district. It’s truly a unique project.”

— Matthew Maggiore, President and Senior Construction Manager

Project Details

Location and Layout

• Address: 175 North Ave., Wakefield, MA — one block from the MBTA commuter rail station
• Structure: Five stories, constructed of steel, concrete, and wood
• Exterior: Brick, horizontal siding, and aluminum composite panel facades

Residential

• 60 condominiums total
• 8 affordable units (acquired via Massachusetts DHCD lottery, preference to Wakefield residents)
• 52 market-rate units, including 9 penthouses with roof decks
• Buyers choose between warm or cool color tones
• Boutique-level finishes: Bosch appliances, LED lighting, high-efficiency HVAC, Wi-Fi burglar alarms and thermostats, door-call security system

Amenities

• Common courtyard with green roof, fire pit, gas grills, and gardening space
• 56-space indoor heated parking garage
• Bike storage

Retail

• 8,000 square feet of ground-level retail space
• A personal training facility is confirmed; local restaurants and coffeehouses have expressed interest

Timeline and Budget

• Ground broke: September 2016
• Estimated completion: January 2018
• Project value: Approximately $30 million

Transit-Oriented by Design

Wakefield Station’s name comes from its location, a short walk from the commuter rail that connects to Boston. The town amended its zoning laws in recent years to allow higher-density multifamily development near the railway, and this project is the result.

The site is also walkable to downtown Wakefield, local golf courses, and Lake Quannapowitt. Two major highways, I-95/128 and I-93, intersect nearby.

“Its proximity to transportation, retail, services and Wakefield’s recreational and civic center makes it ideal for a relatively dense mix of residential and commercial construction.”

A Collaborative Process

Maggiore worked closely with Wakefield officials and residents throughout design, presenting at roughly eight zoning meetings. The goal was to match the look and feel the community wanted.

“There is a great group of folks there. Everybody in town was very helpful. All town departments have been very supportive.”

The main challenge was weather; a harsh winter in 2016 and a very wet spring in 2017 pushed the schedule back. But the project was well-received from the start.

“It was a great opportunity to work in Wakefield. Everything has been extremely well-received. The town is very much in favor of this project.”

About The Maggiore Companies

History

Paul Maggiore started the company doing storefront remodels and tenant rehabs. It grew from a one-man shop into a construction management and property development firm, now one of the premier flex industrial real estate developers in Massachusetts.

Current Operations

• Approximately 35 employees
• Services: general construction, design-build, project management, consulting
• Development portfolio: owns and manages over 2 million square feet across New England

Other Notable Projects

• Toyota dealership — 153,000 square feet, Woburn, MA (under construction)
• Davis Square condominiums — 29 units, Somerville, MA
• James L. McKeown Boys and Girls Club — 43,700-square-foot natatorium and gymnasium, Woburn, MA (completed)
• Infiniti dealership — 34,000 square feet, Nashua, NH (completed)

Matt Maggiore

He started working at the company as a teenager: laborer and office assistant.

“It was the excitement at that age of getting to go out on construction sites, being around big trucks, heavy equipment.”

He joined full-time in 2001 after earning a BS in Business Management from Skidmore College. Wakefield Station was a hands-on project from concept through completion.

“It was our project, from the concept in our heads to completion. We had our design-build hats on—we were very heavily involved in the design, layout and the amenities that came with it. It is a project that we will be proud to have our name associated with for years to come.”

Bottom Line

The Residences and Shops at Wakefield Station shows what happens when a developer and a town align on a shared vision. Transit-oriented, walkable, and built with attention to detail, it’s a model for how suburban communities can grow without losing their character.