Project

Worcester Polytechnic Institute – South Village Expansion

Historic Charm Reimagined: Student Housing Renovations at WPI

TOCCI, Hampton Properties, LLC., + Worcester Polytechnic Institute joined forces to revitalize three Victorian mansions into student housing. This renovation added 65 beds across single, double, and triple-occupancy suites. Renamed Cedar House A, Cedar House B, and Fruit House, these residences offer modern living while preserving historic charm.

Location: Worcester, MA

Owner: Hampton Properties, LLC.

Architect: Ganek Architects, Inc.

Exterior view of WPI Cedar House B and a neighboring gray Victorian residence hall, showing covered porches, gabled roofs, and a shared front lawn shaded by mature trees.

Empty living room with a carved wood fireplace mantel and tiled hearth, a bay window with stained glass accents, and hardwood floors.

Exterior of WPI Fruit House, a large gray Victorian residence hall with red trim, dormer windows, a wraparound screened porch, and a brick walkway leading to the entrance.

Empty room with a curved bay wall, tall multi-pane windows, decorative wood wainscoting and wall panels, and glossy hardwood flooring.

Kitchen with white cabinetry, granite countertops, and stainless sink along one wall, white stove, microwave, and refrigerator opposite, and a built-in wood-topped pantry cabinet with open shelving and vintage drawer pulls.

Ornate wood staircase with dark carpeted steps and a carved spindle railing, leading up to a landing with a stained glass arched window and wood paneling.

Empty attic-level room with sloped ceilings, glossy hardwood floors, built-in white cabinetry, and a sunlit dormer window.

Interior hallway of a residence hall with a curved staircase featuring dark carpeted steps and white balustrade, wood-paneled walls, hardwood flooring, and an arched doorway

Adaptive Reuse for Academic Growth

By transforming historic residences into modern student housing, this project exemplifies the power of adaptive reuse in higher education. The renovation not only preserved Worcester’s Victorian character but also met WPI’s pressing need for expanded housing. Updating older structures to serve today’s academic communities balances sustainability, history, and functionality—ensuring that tradition and progress live side by side on campus.

65 Additional Beds

20,300 Square Feet

3 Victorian Homes