Situated at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 90 - the gateway to Rockport‘s Harbor Village - this site is the former location of Rockport Elementary School and is still colloquially called “RES.” The elementary school closed in 2013, and during the ensuing years the property has been used as an informal community space for ad hoc gatherings of all sorts. In 2023, town residents voted by a wide margin to accept a philanthropic offer from the Lesher Family Foundation to redevelop the location as a Town Park, formalizing its decade-long history of community activation for play and gathering.

From the inception of the project, Tandem worked with the donor and town leadership to craft a vision for the space through detailed analysis, robust community engagement, and iterative design. The process yielded an inclusive and transformative scheme that features community gathering spaces, a performance venue, multi-age playgrounds, and flexible sports fields. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025. 

More details are available at the project website.