Melmark, a national leader in the human services field, will break ground in early 2025 on the development of an adult community on a three-acre site in Tewksbury, MA. The project is intended to address an increasing need in Massachusetts for adult services that are evidence-based and instructional for individuals with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The pilot project will cost an estimated $15 million to complete. Melmark collaborated with the Caveney Architectural Collaborative on the design, which will include four residences housing 20 adults, an instructional and vocational day program for 50-plus individuals, a vocational coffee shop social enterprise, daily living activities, supports, community engagement, recreational opportunities and affordable staff housing. Vantage Builders will manage the construction of the three-acre site.

“Our goal is to develop an infrastructure and model that is campus-based and rooted in full community integration and resource-sharing, which will allow individuals to age in place through their whole lifespan,” said Melmark president and CEO Rita M. Gardner.