An abandoned learning center near Vinnin Square in Salem, Massachusetts, became an education in navigating local regulations, land court and global disruptions for a pair of young developers.
Vavel Apartments, a 20-unit luxury development, opened on the former site of the learning center in August but until the site’s graduation from unused classroom into the first all-electric multifamily family building in Salem, its fate wasn’t certain.
Its developers, Nova Construction and Remodeling, run by the Wabno brothers Jerzy and Tomasz, sought a platform to showcase their creative and environmentally sustainable designs. But those good intentions were immediately put to the test. There were significant delays in city approval, safety concerns about a nearby cliff, an unusual triangular-shaped lot, and three years of litigation in land court. Then, just as the Wabnos were granted municipal permitting and shovels went into the ground, the global pandemic froze funding sources, disrupted the supply chain, and accelerated labor costs.
Much of the Wabnos’ design incorporated materials from around the world: rain-screen facades from Turkey, windows from Poland, chrome balusters from China, and interior doors from Italy. With the population in lockdown, that globalist approach, along with work stoppages and safety concerns, drove up costs and extended the construction times beyond the expected schedule.
But along with their team of architects from Pitman and Wardley Associates and civil planners from Morin-Cameron Group, the brothers persisted. The lessons they learned along the way demonstrated their attention to detail and commitment to sustainability. When completed, each two-bedroom, two-bath unit included energy-saving heat pumps, ventless washers and dryers, energy recovery ventilation, and underground parking with more than 20 electric vehicle charging stations. Much of the development draws its power from an array of roof-mounted solar panels.
The development has been selected as the 2024 CoStar Impact Award winner for multifamily development of the year for Boston, as judged by a local team of real estate professionals familiar with the market.
About the Project: In addition to moving in tenants, Nova Construction and Remodeling relocated its own offices to the Vavel.
What the Judges Said: “The developers had to overcome difficult site conditions and ended up with a unique design and an energy-efficient building,” said David Hark, principal, Drumlin Group.
They Made it Happen: Jerszy Wabno of Nova Construction and Remodeling served as the project’s general manager and engineer.