A Developer Maintains Signifi cant Buildings in the Communities in which He Works By Taking Cues from Them
Kirk Noyes doesn’t flaunt a fancy title. He’s simply a “human being” who has spent the past 40 years redeveloping abandoned buildings—mostly schools—into residential communities. His business model is a bit different from most developers. He operates Gloucester Development Team Inc., a 501(c)(3) with the goal of improving quality of life for low- and moderate-income people on Cape Ann, Mass., which includes the communities of Essex, Gloucester and Rockport.
WRITTEN BY | CHRISTINA KOCH >> 42 RETROFIT // January-February 2013 Noyes’ reputation for doing good work
has expanded his business across the U.S., precipitating the creation of a second or- ganization under which he develops build- ings outside of Cape Ann. No matter where his vocation takes him, Noyes only works
on buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and he always provides a social benefit to the communities in which he works. He refers to his work as “something of a private urban renewal agency” and, as such,