Boston Mayor Michelle Wu recently announced that the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) will make $40 million available to support the creation of affordable housing, which includes $4 million for unsheltered and/or aging populations. This is just one example of a significant push to deploy affordable housing resources across the country, which will likely continue in order to deal with a major shortfall of needed housing stock.

Callahan Construction has worked with communities like Boston as well as cities and towns across the Northeast to get these projects out of the ground to provide safe, healthy living spaces for the most vulnerable members of society. Some of our current projects include Willow at The Ridgeway in Yonkers, The Baldwinville School Apartments in Templeton, Mass., 52 New Street in Cambridge, Mass. and Lee Fort Terrace in Salem, Mass.

While it is accepted that affordable housing is in demand, there are multiple considerations that developers and community housing agencies should consider before embarking on a new affordable initiative. Here are a few aspects of this evolving market that Callahan is watching.

The Impact of the Community in Successful Project Delivery

Increasingly, Callahan is seeing a drive to make affordable housing communities as sustainable as possible. This includes the adoption of Passive House building standards, a performance-based energy efficiency standard for buildings that prioritizes the comfort and health of the occupants. Though LEED is still relevant, Passive House takes a different approach that focuses on the end-users as a guiding light for sustainability goals. With the large-scale adoption of opt-in stretch code, Passive House will begin having an outsized role in affordable construction.

Community engagement is also a key driver of making affordable housing projects more impactful than ever. A healthy dialogue between the project team and community leaders, such as city managers and housing authorities, leads to better information gathering and ultimately, a building design that reflects the desires of the community that will live there. In addition, job fairs that promote local hiring, along with meeting ambitious MBE and WBE goals, bring the community together in a profound way when it comes to creating safe and affordable residences. Callahan works hard to cultivate these relationships and give constituents a voice while investing in the local workforce.

Finally, to ensure every member of a project – from the owner to the developer to the subcontractor – has a stake in the result, Callahan encourages teams to get involved early in the pre-construction phase to ensure the final product aligns with budgetary requirements. In addition, Callahan has implemented stricter compliance requirements on its jobsites via technology tools like LCPtracker, a cloud-based SaaS solution for certified payroll, construction site compliance, and workforce reporting, to ensure workers on affordable projects are paid fairly and on time.

Helping Owners Ensure Successful Outcomes

One of the most sure-fire ways for communities, developers, and owners to ensure project success is to be informed about local and federal requirements for affordable housing. Callahan routinely works with stakeholder groups to promote successful project delivery, and has found the following tips to be useful for teams tasked with determining the viability of a project:

For more information on Callahan’s affordable housing experience, click here.

When a construction company considers different markets to build in, numerous factors come into play. Chief among them is access to a talented local workforce, along with a steady pipeline of potential projects coming online. As you begin to get more granular in your assessments, the economic drivers for entering a particular state begin to get very specific.

At Callahan, we’ve been fortunate to expand from our headquarters in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, to additional markets like Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. In the case of the Granite State, an active pipeline of projects around major metropolitan areas has combined with lower costs and reduced regulatory complexity to make it a compelling place to do business.

Over the next several years, we expect to see continued growth across all Callahan markets, and below you will find some key data points that excite us about future activity north of Route 128.

Attractive Economics and Statewide Support 

Numerous measurement tools point to New Hampshire’s status as an economic powerhouse, but this status isn’t achieved through heavy fees and generous tax breaks to large corporations. The Granite State leverages a low tax burden on both individuals and businesses to keep its economy humming, while a booming tourism industry relies on the state’s dominance as a playground for outdoor recreation as a reliable source four-season income.

According to a recent report, New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation industry is responsible for over 30,000 jobs and adding almost $4 billion to the state’s economy. Couple this with zero income tax for residents, no sales tax, and no inheritance/estate taxes, and you have a recipe for a very financially friendly existence. Even the business profit tax rate is quite competitive, currently sitting at 7.5 percent.

The construction industry is also a major economic driver, with the United States Census Bureau reporting at the end of 2024 that the value of state and local construction in NH in 2023 was $1.18 billion, representing a jump of almost 20 percent over the prior year.

New Hampshire’s Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) is another example of a strategic advantage for local businesses, as it works to help with all manners of issues, from permitting requirements to cultivating a strong workforce. In addition, economic development agencies at the local level are also a tremendous resource, as we personally experienced working closely with the City of Manchester’s Economic Development Office during the construction of the 75 Canal residential community and currently with the city of Salem as we march towards completion of the Tuscan Village mixed-use project.

Compared to other New England states, New Hampshire’s regulatory environment is often friendlier, allowing for speedier time-to-market when it comes to launching new projects. For instance, Massachusetts’ plan for decarbonization is quite ambitious, with policies like BERDO and BUEDO beginning to be replicated outside of Boston. While New Hampshire also has instituted a Climate Action Plan, the impact of this policy has fewer hurdles and economic penalties attached. While all climate policy is essentially “good” policy, New Hampshire’s approach allows for greater flexibility when it comes to building or renovating commercial structures.  

While no one place is perfect, Callahan is excited to see New Hampshire get the recognition it deserves for the sensible approach it has taken to regulatory and tax policies and leveraging its strengths and people to spur job creation and economic growth.

To learn more about Callahan & our projects, visit our website.

In the latest edition of Callahan’s News Magazine, Digging Deep, QA/QC Manager Will Gregg dives into the details of Callahan’s quality program and how it continues to evolve to support exceptional project outcomes and reduce risk across the board.

Will provides valuable insight on quality and highlights the importance of early involvement, lessons learned, and continuous improvement in maintaining high construction standards.

This episode emphasizes new roles within our QA/QC team, the value of pre-planning, and how our energy efficiency efforts, like Passive House initiatives, are helping shape the future of sustainable building.

Click Here to watch the full episode of Digging Deep. 

Callahan’s QA/QC team captures lessons learned across all projects and applies them forward. Every new build benefits from experience.

Long-awaited project replaces outdated Cottage Gardens Housing Complex

WHITE PLAINS, NY – June 26, 2025 –  Callahan Construction Managers (Callahan), a full-service construction management company headquartered in Bridgewater, Mass. with offices in White Plains, NY, announced today that it has broken ground on Willow at The Ridgeway, the sixth and final phase of a major redevelopment of the former Cottage Place Gardens public housing complex into a mixed-income community of choice.

The new 8-story, all-electric, 100% affordable building will provide 92 units for seniors. Thirty-one units are reserved for households at or below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI), 29 units are reserved for households at or below 50% AMI, and 32 units are reserved for households at or below 60% AMI. The buildings will incorporate sustainable features in compliance with NYSERDA Multifamily program and LEED for Homes, and will also introduce new sidewalks, trees, and site lighting along the nearby thoroughfare.

Over the years, Cottage Gardens fell behind other properties in terms of features and amenities, and when the Municipal Housing Authority of the City of Yonkers (MHACY) enlisted the team to oversee its replacement, it was clear that the community wanted to set a new standard in affordable living. Amenities in the apartments will include air-conditioning, electric ranges, and Energy STAR appliances. Residents will also enjoy common laundry rooms on each floor, a community room, a fitness center, and a resident terrace on the seventh floor with seating and a solar canopy.

Willow at the Ridgeway will also achieve Passive House Institute U.S. certification, delivering an extremely energy efficient building that also maximizes the health and thermal comfort of the older adults who will live there. The apartment units are designed with an older population in mind, and many resources will be provided to support aging-in-place for seniors referred from the Yonkers Housing Authority Section 8 waitlist. Callahan will work closely with MHACY; developer and owner The Community Builders; and architectural firm Monica Lopez Architects to complete this project.

“Yonkers has been undergoing a transformation to replace aging, vacant buildings with cutting-edge structures that place an emphasis on resident health and proximity to the many amenities the city has to offer,” said David Morrow, Vice President of New York Operations, Callahan Construction. “We are honored to be overseeing the construction of the long-awaited replacement for Cottage Gardens and look forward to welcoming the first residents to Willow at the Ridgeway.”

For more information on Callahan’s affordable housing market expertise, click here.

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Project will Transform Historic School into Templeton’s First Multifamily Housing Development Permitted in 25+ Years

June 10, 2025 – TEMPLETON, MA – Today, MPZ Development LLC (MPZ) and Capstone Communities LLC (Capstone) celebrated the official groundbreaking of Baldwinville School Apartments redevelopment project in Templeton. Baldwinville School Apartments is the first multi-family housing project permitted in Templeton in more than 25 years, providing much-needed, mixed-income housing to the community.

Baldwinville School Apartments will transform the historic Baldwinville Elementary School into 54 rental units, 49 of which will be affordable for households earning at or below 30-60% of the Area Median Income. Designed by ICON Architecture, Baldwinville School Apartments project will transform the historic school, as well as create a new Enterprise Green Communities-certified, Passive House addition. The apartments will be available in several layouts and sizes, including loft, studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom, many of which will be rehabilitated from the original elementary school.

Baldwinville School Apartments will offer numerous on-site amenities to future residents including an outdoor courtyard and community green space, children’s playground, fitness center, electric-vehicle charging stations, in-building laundry, and a community walking trail leading to an overlook of the Otter River.

Capstone and MPZ recently announced they had secured financing to make this project possible. Financing for Baldwinville School Apartments was provided by the Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, Rockland Trust, National Equity Fund, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and The Life Initiative. Capstone and MPZ were awarded $1.924M in funding for Baldwinville School Apartments through the Community Preservation Act via Templeton’s Community Preservation Committee, as well as $750,000 through the Underutilized Properties Program (UPP) via the Commonwealth’s Community One Stop for Growth awards, administered by MassDevelopment.

“Capstone Communities and MPZ Development are thrilled to celebrate the official groundbreaking of Baldwinville School Apartments in Templeton today,” said Jason Korb, Principal of Capstone Communities and Mathieu P. Zahler, Principal of MPZ. “We’re proud to breathe new life to this historic school building and bring deeply needed affordable housing to Templeton. Baldwinville School Apartments are a reflection of what’s possible through collaboration, both locally and throughout the Commonwealth. We hope that this project will support Templeton through thoughtful and purposeful redevelopment.”

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to bringing down housing costs for all residents and creating more housing across the state for families at all income levels,” said Ed Augustus, Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. “We are proud to contribute funding in support of these new mixed-income units that will allow families to live affordably in Templeton.”

“This long-awaited housing project is a fantastic example of a public, private partnership and the Healey-Driscoll administration’s commitment to uplifting rural communities,” said Anne Gobi, Director of Rural Affairs. “I look forward to seeing the historic school occupied again and I know the new residents will enjoy all Templeton and the region has to offer.”

“Today is a day of new beginnings  for this site and it’s my pleasure to be here to see the ceremonial shovels going into the ground to kick off this project,” State Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, said. “Templeton has recognized its need for additional affordable housing and the Baldwinville School Apartments will fill that need. The design plans look amazing, and I am looking forward to the day when we see the finished project.” 

“I’m thrilled that funding has been secured for the Baldwinville School Apartments, and the project is celebrating its official groundbreaking today,” said State Representative Jonathan D. Zlotnik, 2nd Worcester District. “This project is going to provide an increase in affordable housing in the area, and I have been happy to support this project over the years. I look forward to seeing the work completed by Capstone Communities and MPZ Development to reimagine and transform this former school building into over 50 units of housing.”

“This project has been in the works since early 2020 and the Town of Templeton is very excited to see the building renovated and re-used to provide our community with some of the housing that our residents need,” said Holly Young, Templeton’s Interim Town Administrator. “It has taken a lot of work and joint efforts from the Town of Templeton departments working with Matt Zahler of MPZ Development and Jason Korb of Capstone Communities to see this project come to fruition. I would like to thank our staff as well as our Templeton Community Preservation Committee for their contributions to this project in the total amount of $1,924,000. I look forward to seeing the building take shape and the project completed as it will enhance the entire neighborhood.”

“It is exciting to see this project having reached this phase,” said Chair of the Templeton Select Board Timothy Toth. While it has been a rather lengthy and at times seemed an arduous and somewhat daunting task, we are now seeing the results of a thoroughly developed and implemented plan. Capstone and MPZ’s commitment and partnership have been great, and I look forward to seeing this concept become reality as it continues to move closer to crossing the finish line.” 

“Congratulations to MPZ and Capstone for reaching a big milestone in their effort to convert a former school building into the Baldwinville School Apartments,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “MassDevelopment was pleased to advance the development of these new housing units with a $750,000 grant from the Underutilized Properties Program and an earlier approximately $50,000 loan from the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund.”

“MassHousing is pleased to be part of this transformative project with a talented development team and very strong support from the Town of Templeton that will create 54 brand new rental homes for residents with a range of incomes,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. “The Baldwin School served the town as an elementary school for many years and this development is going to breathe new life and vibrancy into the building that will continue to serve the community for many more years to come.”

“Rockland Trust is proud to stand alongside the many dedicated public and private partners who helped bring Baldwinville School Apartments from a concept to a reality, as we celebrate the project groundbreaking today,” said John Quintal, SVP and Lending Center Manager at Rockland Trust. “Thanks to the leadership of Capstone Communities, MPZ Development, and the strong collaboration from local and state-wide stakeholders, this project is transforming a historic asset into much-needed affordable housing for the Templeton community.”

“At NEF, intentionality and innovation are core values that drive the way we do business,” said Tony Thesing, managing director at National Equity Fund. “Our partners at Capstone Communities and MPZ Development share in those values and have worked diligently to develop an environment where increased access to affordable housing empowers all individuals and families to reach their full potential. The Baldwinville School Apartments is an adaptive reuse of a historic school building and exemplifies creativity, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to the town and people of Templeton.”

“The Life Initiative is honored to play a continued role in this team’s projects,” said Brandon Braxton, Vice President of The Life Initiative. “This is the second school we’ve worked with Capstone and MPZ to revitalize and bring back to life for its community. And to do so in a way that increases affordable housing is especially rewarding. We wish the team continued success and look forward to partnering with them in the future.”

“As most residents know all too well, there is a tremendous need for affordable housing throughout Massachusetts. Fortunately, today marks significant progress in addressing this challenge as we break ground on the Baldwinville School Apartments,” said Pat Callahan, President of Callahan Construction Managers. “We commend local and state leaders, along with our project partners, MPZ Development and Capstone Communities, for bringing this project to life, and we are proud to add this school conversion to our list of affordable housing projects completed throughout the Northeast.” 

More information on the project can be found via thebaldwinvilleschoolapts.com.

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Callahan Construction has embarked on numerous projects in Connecticut over the years focusing on mixed-use developments, along with affordable and market-rate housing. While every market has been impacted by broader economic forces occurring at the federal level, a groundswell of activity in the Nutmeg State points to continued resiliency in segments like affordable housing, where smart reuse and economic incentive packages are having an impact.

Connecticut Leading the Way

On a national level, affordable housing is lacking in almost every major metro area. State and local leaders are grappling with ways to create more activity in historically tight real estate markets, and Connecticut continues to serve as a model for using existing buildings along with creating smart development packages to spur activity and investment. There are some key trends worth noting that showcase how Connecticut is leading the way:

Ground Up and Adaptive Re Use Are Options in Connecticut

Looking ahead at projects in the pipeline or close to kicking off, we expect that Connecticut will continue to leverage adaptive reuse to push residential projects forward. In addition to the sustainable impact of reusing versus knocking down and building new, existing structures in an formerly industrial economy like New England are typically located near transit hubs or other intersections of people and commerce.

We also expect that projects incorporating an affordable component will see increased incentivization from lawmakers and strong support from the developers that want to bring those properties to market. Connecticut leaders have found ways to leverage tax incentives and other resources to spur much-needed affordable housing activity, and we expect this will only accelerate in the coming years.

State and Local Agencies Help Spur Construction

Finally, it seems likely that lawmakers will continue to look for ways to streamline projects from concept to reality, especially if it adds needed housing stock to statewide inventory. The Spark on Cedar development is a fantastic example of the project team of Anthony Properties, Perry Reid Properties, the Town of Newington, and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) working together to bring a project to fruition, and we at Callahan look forward to being part of similar projects in the year ahead

The multifamily community will feature 440 residential units with commuter-friendly amenities.

BRIDGEWATER, MA – May 29, 2025 –  Callahan Construction Managers (Callahan), a full-service construction management company headquartered in Bridgewater, Mass. with offices in White Plains, NY, announced today that in partnership with Cabot, Cabot, & Forbes and Equity Residential, it has celebrated the topping off of The Basin multifamily community at 200 Quannapowitt Parkway in Wakefield. The property is now accepting applications and expects to welcome new residents in Summer 2025.

Located alongside Lake Quannapowitt, The Basin will consist of 440 multifamily residential units, including 79 affordable units. The community incorporates a variety of attributes that reflect the natural landscape in a modern multifamily community, including a lakeside walking path, multiple roof decks, over 20,000 square feet of amenity space, and an expansive landscape program.

The topping off celebrates a key milestone in the project’s rapid progress, which will meet a growing need for commuter-friendly residential communities in Massachusetts. Future residents will benefit from easy access to I-95/Route 128 and nearby employment nodes.

Minimizing environmental impact is also a priority for the project team, and The Basin is being constructed with sustainable design principles in mind. The project is targeting LEED Gold Certification and will include 100% electric units, ample electric vehicle and bicycle parking, and native landscaping requiring minimal irrigation.

“We are pleased to mark this milestone at The Basin, which takes advantage of both the stunning landscape alongside 200 Quannapowitt Parkway as well as the convenient location in Wakefield to help residents enjoy a feature-laden and sustainable environment while being able to commute with ease,” said Steven Callahan Jr., Vice President – Business Development for Callahan. “Cabot, Cabot, & Forbes and Equity Residential are proven developers of desirable residential communities, and we’re excited to see their vision for The Basin come to life.”

Take a look at a Video from the Topping Off Event.

For more information on Callahan’s multi-family experience, click here.

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By Adam Ringo, CSP, Safety Director, Callahan Construction

This year, Construction Safety Week bears a theme of “All in Together,” which undoubtedly speaks to the need for the entire team – from the building owner to the smallest subcontractor – to have a stake in keeping the project and its people as safe as possible.

However, what if safety could go farther? What if the team can go all-in on technology, communication, and accountability in a way that raises the bar beyond expectations? Oftentimes, when expectations are raised, there’s a reluctance to take on the additional work that goes along with it. But when technology is introduced in a way that makes the quality of the work better without a stiff time or effort penalty, everyone wins.

At Callahan, we’ve found ways to raise the bar that simultaneously increases the quality of our jobsite for our peers and partners, all to the benefit of our valued client base. Below are some of the key ways we’re raising awareness and expectations around construction safety:

  1. Culture building:

    The best ways are often the simplest ways. At Callahan, we know the happier people are to work for us, the quality of the work will only improve. Temperature controlled breakrooms, fridges for lunches and energy drinks, places to congregate with fellow subcontractors and team members – those are all standard on Callahan jobsites. It’s a simple first step in driving support for safety initiatives and demonstrates a commitment to being all-in on a collaborative culture, whether a subcontractor or a Callahan superintendent. 

  2. Mitigating trade stacking:

    On a daily basis, a representative of every trade and team on the jobsite has a 15-minute window to discuss potential trade stacking issues and how to avoid them. From concerns about the staging of materials to maintaining access in heavy work areas, understanding the possible roadblocks and devising a plan to keep different trades working in harmony on the jobsite helps avoid unnecessary delays and safety issues.

  3. SiteForm integration:

    Technology drives much of the innovation Callahan has introduced on the jobsite, and safety is perhaps one of the most significant ways new software and tools make a difference. SiteForm has enabled Callahan to provide training and site plans in a variety of languages delivered to workers’ mobile devices and dramatically increase accountability by tracking when training tasks remain incomplete. It also makes it far easier to send out warnings and alerts when conditions materialize on the jobsite that impact safety, such as high winds when cranes are active. SiteForm has had a pronounced effect on building an “all in” safety culture at Callahan. 

  4. Using cmBuilder for safety:

    In addition to investing in new technology, Callahan has also found new uses for platforms already in use. For instance, its pre-construction experts now use cmBuilder to apply the same level of sophisticated planning capabilities used in other phases of work to jobsite safety. By bringing its safety leaders into the pre-con phase as soon as possible, jobsite hazards are engineered around virtually to minimize disruptions and enhance worker wellbeing once ground is broken.

At Callahan, we’re proud to celebrate Construction Safety Week but also recognize our responsibility to constantly enhance our safety strategies through deployment of innovative tools and training – making our team and subcontractors “all in” on safety, all the time. For more information on our safety program, click here.

Former National Welding site to be reborn as transit-friendly apartment community

WHITE PLAINS, NY – April 28, 2025 – Anthony Properties (AP) in partnership with Perry Reid Properties (PRP) is excited to announce the groundbreaking of The Spark on Cedar in Newington, CT. The project will consist of 232 Class-A apartments at the former National Welding site along Cedar Ave. This project will represent the twelfth property which AP and PRP have co-developed. The development team has selected Callahan Construction Managers as the General Contractor. Callahan is a full-service construction management company headquartered in Bridgewater, Mass. with offices in White Plains, NY.

The Spark on Cedar development is a public-private partnership with the Town of Newington and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and represents a collaborative approach to revitalizing the former National Welding property. The city of Newington procured a $2 million grant from DECD to support remediation of the brownfield site and attract developers capable of converting the underutilized parcel into a high-end transit-oriented development. With an extensive portfolio featuring residential and transit-friendly projects, the development team was a natural fit to oversee the site’s transformation.

The project site is centrally located and offers future residents a wide range of shopping, dining, and entertainment options, along with proximity to many leading Connecticut employers. In addition, the nearby Cedar Street Station provides express service to downtown New Britain in about 6 minutes and downtown Hartford in about 20 minutes via the CTfastrack, Connecticut’s first Bus Rapid Transit system. 

“From the outset, the vision which we had for The Spark on Cedar was to offer the residents of Newington a desirable rental housing option, one offering not only outstanding amenities but also superior convenience,” said Ross Anthony, president, Anthony Properties. “Thanks to the partnership from the Town of Newington and the DECD, we are now able to realize that vision and also create opportunities for prolonged economic growth impacting at both the state and local levels.”

Callahan Construction, along with architect Hensley Lamkin Rachel, Inc. and engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill, was selected to oversee design and construction of the 4-story apartment community which will consist of studio, one-, and two-bedroom units along with 301 parking spaces and amenities including a resort-style swimming pool, a dog park and pet spa, and EV charging stations. In addition to building the new residences, Callahan’s robust pre-construction planning services are being utilized to create a safe, efficient jobsite within a densely populated urban corridor.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to deliver a much-needed residential community to

downtown Newington, and to do so as part of a dynamic team showcasing the impact of
private-public partnerships,” said Dave Morrow, vice president of New York Operations for

Callahan Construction. “As a leading construction manager that has completed numerous residential communities across the northeast, we are confident that The Spark on Cedar will be source of pride for the City of Newington, our partners at Anthony Properties and Perry Reid Properties, and the residents that will soon call it home.”

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Expanding in the Empire State: Callahan’s Tri-State Outlook

Callahan is proud of the progress we’ve made growing our footprint in the Tri-State area. When we opened our White Plains office, we were determined to bring the quality we’re known for to new clients across the markets we know best—multi-family and affordable housing, mixed-use and retail developments, and senior living communities.

Like any region, there’s some level of uncertainty everywhere you look—but we’re excited about what the future holds in the Empire State. Here are a few trends and developments we’re keeping a close eye on:

PACT – Permanent Affordability Commitment Together

PACT is a NYCHA program designed to leverage private and non-profit partners to convert eligible public housing properties to Project-Based Section 8. This allows for much-needed capital improvements while maintaining affordability for residents.

Since 2016, more than $7B has been invested into PACT projects, but NYCHA estimates it will take $78B to fully fund the program. There’s a massive opportunity here for meaningful public-private partnerships, though there’s still a lot of work to do.

At Callahan, we routinely work with developers and public agencies to bring affordable housing to life—and we’re optimistic about the positive impact PACT can have in the years ahead.

Market-Rate Housing Outside Manhattan

It’s no secret it’s expensive to live in Manhattan. Over the years, more and more people have looked outside the five boroughs for housing—especially along the Metro-North corridor—finding better value in communities where they can still commute into the city if needed.

We’re expecting to see continued growth in market-rate housing across the suburbs north and east of NYC, extending into upstate New York and parts of New Jersey. This trend opens the door for residents to get into the market without needing to change jobs just to afford it.

Callahan recently completed Alexander Crossing in Yonkers, a project that supports work-from-home lifestyles while still offering proximity to transit. It’s the type of flexible, future-ready development we expect to see more of.

Taller MDUs in Re-Zoned Communities

If you can’t build out, build up. That’s the mindset taking hold in places like Port Chester, New Rochelle, and White Plains, where local leaders are updating zoning to allow for taller residential buildings.

In many of these small-to-mid-sized cities, there’s limited space to expand outward, but increased height allowances for MDUs (multi-dwelling units) could help unlock more housing supply where it’s needed most.

This kind of local policy shift could be just the spark needed to get some long-anticipated projects moving, and we’re watching it closely.

Office and Retail to Residential Conversions

This isn’t unique to New York: cities everywhere are dealing with how to repurpose underutilized office and retail buildings.  And it’s a bigger issue in Westchester because some of these buildings are so large.  Converting them to residential sounds great in theory, but in practice, it’s not always that simple. Between the size and shape, structural constraints, zoning, and cost, it can be a real challenge to make the numbers work.

One potential solution? Blending retail and residential. That’s the approach behind two of our projects, New City and Bay Terrace, where we’re helping turn traditional shopping centers into mixed-use destinations that better reflect today’s living and shopping habits.

Battling the Elements – A Buffet of Outside Forces

Since COVID, our industry has dealt with its fair share of curveballs, from supply chain disruptions and labor shortages to shifting immigration policies and the ever-present wildcard of interest rates and tariffs.

It’s a lot to navigate, which is why strong preconstruction services are more valuable than ever. At Callahan, we help our clients get a clearer picture up front so budgeting and planning doesn’t turn into guesswork. And when it makes sense, our ability to self-perform sitework can create efficiencies that help control costs and improve quality at the same time while most importantly mitigating as much risk as possible.

Bottom Line

The New York market and the surrounding Tri-State area represent real opportunity for Callahan. We’re excited to continue working alongside our public and private sector partners to get much-needed projects out of the ground despite the headwinds our industry continues to face.

To learn more on happenings in the New York market or how Callahan can help with your next construction proejct please contact David Morrow or Phil Dinan.

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