Multi-Family Development

At Szecon, our multi-family development philosophy centers on identifying underutilized parcels and transforming them into vibrant, transit-oriented communities. We don't just build to add density; we collaborate directly with municipalities, state housing agencies, and local residents to address critical housing shortages while respecting neighborhood fabric. By blending deep knowledge of construction techniques and technology with a multi-generational legacy of property operations, we deliver high-performance, energy-efficient assets built to perform for decades.

Located at 164 Essex Street in Melrose, MA, our landmark mixed-income development serves as a premier example of Szecon's capability to execute complex permitting, transit alignment, and ultra-high-efficiency building science. By the numbers:

Flagship Project Spotlight: Cedar Park One64

The

Difference

A Blue-Print for Collaboration

Navigating multi-family development requires technical expertise and a collaborative mindset. We already had the know how, but for Cedar Park One64, we put our collaborative mindset to the test. Working with the City of Melrose, MassHousing, and the MBTA, we are transforming an underutilized parking lot into a vibrant smart-growth community. —- The site had been identified by the City in it’s Housing Production Plan as a New Opportunity Site and helps to move the city closer to it’s goals of reaching Safe Harbor from Chapter 40B developments and provides much needed affordable housing allowing individuals and families to live and thrive in Melrose. —- Chapter 40B is a powerful tool that can be used cooperatively by municipalities, developers, and subsidizing agencies, like MassHousing, to bring the right kind of development to the right place at the right time. Cedar Park One64 is a quintessential example of what can happen when all those elements come together. —- By negotiating reciprocal easements with the MBTA, we maximized site utility by adding additional parking to the project, hidden away behind the building and not visible from the street while adding infrastructure value back to the transit authority by providing an access path directly from the Cedar Park Station platform to the sidewalk on Essex Street. —- We don't build in a community; we build with it.

Built to Own, Not to Flip

Szecon Development is a family business, and our portfolio is a long-term investment in our communities. Because we retain, manage, and maintain multi-family developments post-construction, we refuse to cut corners. From spacious multi-bedroom layouts designed for growing families to long-lasting architectural materials, our choices are driven by structural longevity and community harmony—not a quick exit strategy.

  • Cedar Park One64 will be one of the first Passive House Certified Multi-family buildings in Melrose. The many upgrades that go into making that happen will ensure the comfort, health, and cost savings of residents for generations to come.

  • To improve long term weather proofing, we upgraded to flanged windows. The additional mechanical barrier to water will deter leaks long term.

  • Each unit has its own air exchanging system that will prevent air and scent mixing across units, and dedicate capacity to each unit for consistency across all spaces.

Active Builder-Owner Competence

Most real estate sponsors manage developments from a distant boardroom. At Szecon, we bring over 30 years of hands-on framing, engineering, and contracting experience directly to the job site every single day. While we partner with top-tier commercial General Contractors, we don't sit back and wait for weekly reports. We are on-site daily, actively collaborating to see potential field conflicts before they cause delays, and leveraging deep, hyper-local sub-contractor, vendor, and consultant networks to smooth out logistical bumps in real-time.

This deep technical fluency allowed us to spearhead a highly successful Value Engineering (VE) process alongside our GC and architects for Cedar Park One64. Because we understand the exact mechanics of a building, we knew precisely where to optimize upfront construction costs without sacrificing structural integrity or inflating long-term maintenance overhead.

From utilizing advanced pre-construction tech—like 1mm-precision robotic steel fabrication—to implementing layouts optimized for real-world property management, our decisions are guided by a multi-generational legacy of apartment ownership and operations. We build smart up front, so our assets perform seamlessly for decades to come.

Partner With Us on Future Developments

Whether you are looking to unlock the potential of an underutilized parcel, discuss a joint-venture opportunity, or explore municipal housing alignment, Szecon brings the regulatory, structural, and technical expertise to execute flawlessly. Let’s collaborate to build high-performance, transit-oriented spaces that serve our communities for the long haul.