The completion of The Watermill completes 25 years of planning and development of the historic Baker Chocolate Factory
complex by TAT, transforming the defunct factory into an economic engine that has revitalized Dorchester Lower Mills.
In 1985, the firm began translating the visions of several leading Boston developers dedicated to both preserving history and providing quality, mixed-income multifamily housing. Phase one involved the historic conversion of three mill buildings into 143 units originally developed by the late Bob Keuhn of Keen Development and later purchased by Beacon Communities; and the conversion of the former Administration building into 13 affordable artist lofts also developed
by Keuhn. TAT later designed WinnDevelopment’s adaptive reuse projects in the Baker complex, renamed The Lofts at Lower Mills—which include Baker Mill consisting of 58 mixed-income units, the adjacent Carriage House, a small, two
unit building, and The Watermill—marking the site’s final dramatic chapter. Situated on the Neponset River, the luxury 17 unit Watermill lofts are spacious, bright, multilevel units spanning the arched windows of the historic factory’s
boiler building. The project preserved the historic exterior, and offers 12- to 20- foot-high ceilings with exposed brick and beams in the finished units. Each phase contributed to the transformation of this once abandoned and deteriorating
complex into a lively, revitalized community of artists, families, seniors and mixed-income residents, creating a new fashionable lifestyle mixed with a rich New England industrial history. As a result, it has attracted new shops, cafes, and
destination restaurants thereby helping to boost the local economy. “We began work on the Baker Mill redevelopments in 2007, using both state and federal historic tax credits to ensure their beauty and historic significance would be
preserved,” said Larry Curtis, president of WinnDevelopment. “We selected The Architectural Team for their strong track record transforming historic New England landmarks into marketable, historically sensitive properties.”