CONCORD ACADEMY
Marblehead, MA
A 17th, 18th, and 19th century military fort was turned over to the town of Marblehead in 1922 and became a popular pleasure ground. In 2019, architectural preservation of the historic redoubt triggered ADA requirements for the entirety of the site. Crowley Cottrell completed the renovation of the park alongside McGinley Kalsow's architectural preservation, providing fully accessible routes to the elevated promenade and the face of the redoubt on the lower level.
Historic maps provided the inspiration for the improvements to the upper half of the site. By recreating a gun platform at the upper site’s mid-ground, we were able to achieve a fully accessible walking loop and provide historic interpretation into the way the site functioned as a military fort. The 20th and 21st century uses of the site as a beloved park for walking and observing ships entering Marblehead Harbor were preserved and improved through the refurbishment and resetting of Conservation Corps era benches and the incorporation of memorials, which were previously scattered throughout the site, into a stone retaining wall.
Team: Crowley Cottrell, McGinley Kalsow
