​In the News: Aceto Kimball Landscape Architecture Featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine

We’re thrilled to share that one of our longtime collaborators, Aceto Kimball Landscape Architecture + Urban Design, is featured in the October 2024 print issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine. The article, titled “In Their Backyards,” profiles the firm's innovative work on two Maine-based housing projects that directly address the state’s affordable housing crisis.

One of the highlighted projects is Dougherty Commons—an ambitious, city-led housing development taking shape on a small, city-owned parcel in Portland’s Libbytown neighborhood. Aceto Kimball is leading the site design for this 125-unit community, which will bring together a range of housing types—including two-story townhomes, three-story row houses, and a five-story apartment building—on just over three acres of land.

Thoughtfully arranged around a woonerf-style shared street and inviting common green spaces, the project embodies a fresh approach to housing development: one that emphasizes human-scaled design, walkability, and community connection. The name “Dougherty Commons” honors its neighbor, the 18-acre Dougherty Field, helping to tie the new development to the larger fabric of the neighborhood.

As the article notes, this project represents a strategic shift in how the City of Portland is leveraging underutilized public land to address a worsening housing shortage. From 2017 to 2023, the median home price in Portland doubled—a stark trend that has spurred local officials to reexamine city-owned properties as viable sites for mixed-income housing. Dougherty Commons is one of the first major test cases of this strategy.

At MCDP, we’re proud to partner with teams like Aceto Kimball who push the boundaries of what equitable development can look like. Their design leadership—grounded in ecological sensitivity, urban design principles, and a deep commitment to social equity—is helping us all imagine a more inclusive future for Maine’s cities and towns.

You can read the full article in the print edition of Landscape Architecture Magazine, October 2024 issue or click here for a pdf copy.

More About Aceto Kimball Landscape Architecture + Urban Design

PORTLAND, ME | JACKSON, NH
☎️ 207 221 3390
🌐 acetokimball.com

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