201 Canal is an architectural and cultural reflection of Lowell, Massachusetts’ industrial past.
The new four-story development is located in Lowell’s Hamilton Canal Innovation District, a neighborhood that used to be a booming manufacturing hub run by the largest power canal system in the country.
201 Canal features one steel-framed level with a brick veneer façade and three wood-framed stories with alternating wood and stone textures and colors for visual interest and a nod to the area’s history. A historic brick seawall was retained to enclose a lower-level courtyard. Additional design elements include weathered-brick accent walls, hewn granite pavers, preserved steel wall bracing, and the city’s only open-air roof deck, which boasts panoramic canal vistas and overlooks the new Signature Bridge across the Pawtucket Canal.
Inside, WinnDevelopment created 125 homes, including 54 workforce apartments for residents earning between 60% and 120% of the area median income (AMI) and 32 market-rate units. The community also provides affordable housing opportunities with a mix of 11 units restricted to households earning up to 30% of the AMI and supported by project-based housing vouchers; 15 apartments for households earning up to 50% of the AMI; and 13 apartments for households earning up to 60% of the AMI.
Apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows, vinyl plank flooring, stackable washers and dryers, and walk-in master closets. Kitchens and bathrooms include quartz worktops, white ceramic tile backsplashes, gray Shaker-style cabinets, stainless steel Energy Star appliances, and WaterSense plumbing fixtures. The development also includes an Amazon Hub system, a fitness center, a resident lounge, a dog grooming area, an outdoor dog park, and playful touches like a 17-foot tree in the lobby.
The development team built the project, which is certified by Enterprise Green Communities, to be as energy efficient as possible. This includes providing each unit with its own specialized air-source system that uses high-efficiency heat pumps for heating, cooling, and energy-recovery ventilation.
201 Canal is less than a mile from the Lowell Regional Transit Authority and Gallagher Terminal, which offers regular service to and from Boston’s North Station and other areas.
