BROOKLINE, MA — On a beautifully sunny July 24th, Goddard House broke ground on a renovation project that will bring new and enhanced spaces for residents and associates at the Assisted Living and Memory Support Community located on Chestnut Street. Goddard House, Massachusetts’ oldest elder care organization and an innovator in the creative aging field, celebrated its 175th anniversary last year.
With shovels in hand, a group of Goddard House leaders and local dignitaries dug into the soil for the ceremonial groundbreaking, kicking off a $16.5 million renovation project to update the 29-year-old building. Designed in collaboration with Boston-based architectural firm DiMella Shaffer, the renovation centers on the creation of a Creative Aging Hub—an inspiring space to foster arts, lifelong learning, and community connection. Other upgrades include an expanded dining room, improved kitchen, dedicated art room, beautified outdoor spaces, enhanced staff amenities, and an energy-efficient HVAC system.
Nearly one hundred residents, families, staff members and visitors attended the ceremony and enjoyed visual renderings of the upgrades, a live art installation, heartfelt speeches, and a barbecue lunch prepared by the Goddard House culinary team.
Candace Cramer, Goddard House’s President & CEO, summarized the project’s intent: “We’ve named this day ‘From Vision to Reality: A New Goddard House Era Begins!’ because that’s exactly what we’re doing — bringing to life a bold, long-term vision of what’s possible when a community comes together to reimagine aging.”
In his speech, Bernard Greene, Chair of the Brookline Select Board, highlighted how Brookline is a community that deeply cares about its people, especially seniors and other vulnerable groups. He thanked Goddard House for “being an important link in the chain of our community’s commitment to the senior community by providing assisted care housing for people as they age.”
Goddard House recently received a generous $500,000 donation from The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation to support construction of the Creative Aging Hub. At the Groundbreaking Ceremony, Andrea Kozinetz, a Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation Trustee, described the addition as “a multifunctional gathering place, fostering music, theater, film and other creative programming, and uniting residents, families, and community members. This center aligns with the Goddard House’s legacy of offering award-winning creative aging programs and hosting notable figures from the aging, healthcare, and arts fields.”
Barbara Bauman, a resident who has lived at Goddard House for three years, expressed her excitement about the expanded dining room and remodeled lobby. “I realize again how good it is and how fortunate I am to be a member of this community — vibrant, active, engaged community, a diverse community composed of residents, our families, friends and guests, staff and leadership.”
Additional Photos from the Event
