CHA CEO Clara Fraden accepts the 2026 Preservation Award from the Cambridge Historical Commission alongside members of the HMFH design team.
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) was honored by the Cambridge Historical Commission (CHC) with a 2026 Preservation Award for the renovation and expansion of Dan’s Place at 116 Norfolk Street.
CHA CEO Clara Fraden accepted the award on behalf of the development team at CHC’s 29th Annual Preservation Awards event, held at Harvard University’s Adams House. The program celebrated the many layers of Cambridge’s history, highlighting how historic preservation plays a vital role in an ongoing continuum of care, adaptation, and stewardship of the city’s built environment. Honorees included projects ranging from a Harvard building where George Washington once slept in 1775, to a park restoration project, to a DIY home improvement effort, as well as three individuals recognized for their contributions to CHC’s work.
Fraden said, “It’s especially meaningful to see public housing recognized alongside these other worthy historic projects. CHA is proud to see public housing included in Cambridge’s preservation story and grateful to the Cambridge Historical Commission for this recognition.”
Originally constructed in the early 1900s as a convent, Dan’s Place was acquired by CHA in the 1980s and operated as single-room occupancy housing. The recent redevelopment preserved key historic elements while transforming the building into modern studio apartments with private kitchens and bathrooms. A new addition—distinct yet complementary to the historic convent—was also constructed.
As noted during the program, Dan’s Place was the first project completed and occupied under the City’s Affordable Housing Overlay. Today, it provides 62 deeply affordable homes for individuals who were previously living in shelters or on the streets in Cambridge. The project was made possible through a strong partnership with the City of Cambridge, meaningful engagement with neighbors, and design leadership from HMFH Architects.
Photos by Ed Wonsek