Award winning neighborhoods in Concord, Massachusetts, include the Over 55 Planned Residential Communities of Black Birch Lane and Sweet Birch Lane. Both are phases of the Planned Residential Developments by Abode Homes of New England. Black Birch Lane is comprised of 25 single family detached and carriage-style luxury homes, and Sweet Birch Lane offers an additional 14 homes. The first phase, Black Birch, won the 2017 Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston Prism Award for the Best Over-55 Community. Black Birch was able to integrate the new 1000-2500 square-foot homes into the surrounding pine and oak forest adjacent to the Thoreau Club.
Places Associates, Inc. was involved with each project from the initial conceptual plans, preparations for town meeting votes, and procurement of Zoning Board special permits through to the construction and project close-out. One of the challenges in developing these two phases included employing the most effective storm water management, wherein the natural kettle holes on site were utilized rather than clearing for a typical detention basin. The design of an effective on-site sewage disposal system was a second challenge. Places utilized a Presby Enviro Septic System for the leaching area, resulting in a lower maintenance system rather than a traditional pressure-dosing pump system.
