The North Shore of Massachusetts is home to some of the most iconic buildings and spaces across New England, and Gienapp Architects is proud to have played a part in the restoration and creation of several.
With more than 200 projects throughout the North Shore, we’ve contributed to designs and developments across Gloucester, Salisbury, and Danvers, enhancing beloved establishments that are central to these communities.
Our designs and renovations aim to better meet the needs of the community, whether that is through enhancing accessibility and safety elements, addressing environmental damage, or creating recreational spaces for enjoyment.
Our locally rooted presence allows us to be hands-on with our projects, working with clients and stakeholders on-site to ensure their visions align with our efforts.
Gienapp Architects’ Notable North Shore Projects
If you’ve recently attended a gathering at the Beverly Golf and Tennis Club or savored a meal at Seaglass Restaurant in Salisbury’s Blue Ocean Event Center, you’ve experienced the design work of Gienapp Architects. Here are some of our involvements in beloved community spaces across North Shore Massachusetts:
Code compliance work at Beverly Golf and Tennis Club
Built in 1910 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this iconic gem underwent a significant transformation to improve accessibility and maintain its heritage. We installed two lifts to increase accessibility across its two stories and basement, and made a number of other accessibility code adjustments, ensuring the building meets modern standards so it can safely be used by guests of all abilities. Exterior updates included restoring the wood window, repairing stucco, and replacing the roof, all while preserving the building’s historical character. This renovation not only maintained the club’s charm, but also made it a more accessible and enjoyable space for community events and gatherings.
Redevelopment at the Blue Ocean Building
After years of vacancy and lack of use, the renovation of the Pavilion building has aided in transforming downtown Salisbury Beach into a vibrant community hub. Gienapp Architects worked with the owner to re-imagine the space, adding a new entrance promenade and improving the building’s facade. This redevelopment provided space for the Seaglass restaurant, the Blue Ocean concert hall, and a large second-floor area with ocean views that hosts a variety of events. This work has transformed a previously unused building into a vibrant and bustling entertainment space.
Accessibility improvements at Quannapowitt Theater
For this beloved community theater in Reading, Massachusetts, we designed a new addition featuring an accessible entrance, lobby, concession counter, and restrooms. The theater’s exterior repairs and new windows were crafted to match its historical style, preserving its charm. These updates transformed the theater into a space that is more functional and accommodating for all members of the community.
Historic restoration at Derby Summer House
This two-story tea house is considered one of the oldest surviving examples of the Federal style still standing in New England, and is on both the National Register of Historic Places as well as the Massachusetts Register of Historic Places. Gienapp Architects addressed urgent structural issues and waterproofing issues related to overall wear and tear and building decay, and repaired the building to reinforce the structure and halt deterioration. Restoration work was carefully done to match historical materials and techniques, and our team took care to better weatherproof and protect the building for years to come. As a separate part of this project, our team also oversaw the removal, replication, and replacement of deteriorated statues. The original statues are now kept indoors for public viewing, while resin replicas adorn the historic structure.
Building a home for the Salisbury Beach Carousel:
One of our team’s recent highlights, this project took place in the heart of downtown Salisbury. It involved transforming an under-used but centrally located lot into a lively, community-centric space. This work was performed as part of the efforts of the Salisbury Beach Partnership’s goal to return a historic carousel to the Salisbury boardwalk. This unique hexagonal carousel house was specially constructed to house the 1909 carousel that now stands in the space. Special care was taken to meet the challenges posed by such a unique project. Project Architect Michael Nee reflects, “It was incredible to work on a project that was so transformative to the entire community. One of the many fulfilling aspects of this project was seeing the impact we can have on the greater community. Our hope is that this transformed space will continue to spur other activity in the Salisbury community, which we are already seeing since the project’s completion.”