Portwalk, a master planned 450,000 s/f mixed-use development in downtown, has received the Visualizing Density Award 2012 for "best urban design." The New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA) and Plan NH sponsored the Visualizing Density awards to site excellent examples of residential and mixed-use developments at a range of densities throughout N.H.
Cathartes Private Investments is the owner and developer of Portwalk and Pro Con Inc was the architect and construction manager for the multi-phased project, which includes a Marriott Residence Inn, a Hilton Garden Inn, The Harbor Events and Conference Center, and The Residences at Portwalk. Other design partners in the master planning of the Portwalk development included Tighe & Bond of Portsmouth, Elkus Manfredi Architects of Boston, and preliminary approvals by DeStefano Architects of Portsmouth.
"We are very pleased to receive this award," said Jeff Johnston of Cathartes Private Investments.
Portwalk was sited as being a good example of density because it combines location, site planning and architectural design to create a development that uses land efficiently, has a pleasing design aesthetic, promotes walking and is easily accessible to other services. The Portwalk project, which has attained LEED Gold, promotes sustainability, reduces energy use, promotes a healthy lifestyle, and reduces infrastructure costs.
As part of Plan NH's Vibrant Villages NH initiative, the 2012 Visualizing Density Award winners will be recognized at the Annual Housing Conference and will become part of the NHHFA's Visualizing Density Database that will become a free resource for municipalities and developers to use.